Speed Onis
by Bloodsong
Summary: On the streets, they're friendly rivals, until the day their true identies are revealed. Akane has no idea what she's in for. Rated T for swearing and hints of rape. I'm back on track, peeps.
1. The Characters

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

On the dark streets a figure rode, his red Suzuki GSXR 1000 screaming its battle cry as he pushed the engine. Yellow eyes gleamed in the sodium lights and the figure of a dragon flashed in and out of the shadows blanketing the road. Coming up on a light, he pulled alongside another rider on a yellow GSXR 1000, this one with a crane emblazoned on her back and similar yellow eyes gracing her helmet. Ryu turned his face, fully hidden by the face plate, towards his new companion. Kijuuki turned her helmet to him. A cock of the head, a nod, and when the light turned green, two cycles jumped off the line and raced down the street. For six blocks, they chased each other, first one, then the other gaining a slight advantage. As a canal bridge loomed ahead, they hit the brakes, skidding to a stop just at the edge. The front tires were equally aligned.

Another tie.

Kijuuki and Ryu switched off the engines and climbed off, facing each other. Ryu reached for his face plate, Kijuuki shook her head hard. He hooked his thumbs into his jacket pockets and cocked his head. She pulled off her leather gloves, tucking them into her protective pants and held out her hands, palms up. He grinned inside his helmet and stripped off his gloves, taking her hands gently in his. She had writing calluses on her right hand. He turned her hands over. The knuckles were also slightly calloused, the sign of someone who trained in fighting. Her nails were short and unpainted. Not surprising. He stroked his thumbs over her knuckles, wondering what kind of fighting she did. He blinked when she copied his gesture, feeling the marks that betrayed his martial arts training. They looked at each other and smiled, the gesture concealed, yet shared.

"Another time, Kijuuki?" Ryu asked, his voice muffled.

"Anything goes, Ryu," Kijuuki responded, her voice also muffled. They let go at the same time, pulling their gloves back on and mounting their respective bikes. A casual salute and the duelers roared away in opposite directions.

Parking Beaker between the house and the dojo, Akane Tendo threw the camouflage cover over her bike and headed into the house, stripping off her riding gear as she went. A light was still on in the main room, despite the midnight hour. Akane poked her head in the door. Yep, Nabiki was sitting at the table, fingers flying over her abacus and a pencil in her mouth. Akane smirked and strolled in, tossing a roll of bills onto the table. Nabiki spat out the pencil and picked up the bills.

"Good night, huh?" She asked the younger Tendo, who shrugged out of her jacket.

"Decent. Laid out a few of Black Rose's new recruits. Girl's got horrible taste in riders, but she still won't take me on."

"Not surprising, little sister. After all, how many times have you and Ryu faced off with no clear winner?"

"Tonight was the sixth."

"Figured him out yet?"

"He fights. Night!" With a wave of helmet, Akane disappeared up the stairs to hide her gear from Kasumi and go to bed. Nabiki snickered, adding the winnings to the family bank bag. Since their father had committed seppuku two years ago, the Tendo sisters had all worked very hard to keep the dojo going. Kasumi, then 20, took a job as a receptionist. Nabiki, at 17, spread her informant network wider and made a steady income selling secrets within and without high school. Akane, a mere 15, offered weekend martial arts classes for elementary school kids. It hadn't been easy, but together the 3 girls had made it work. Nabiki was secretly grateful their father had waited until Kasumi was an adult before offing himself like a samurai. If he hadn't, they would have all ended up in foster care. Kasumi was the head of the household, Nabiki the major breadwinner, which left Akane time to still be a kid. Naturally, the stubborn girl refused to and threw herself into school, teaching and street racing. Nabiki sighed and finished her calculations. Another month, another round of bills. At least now with two people working steadily, things weren't as tight. Nabiki had scored a job with the local bank after she graduated from high school, the manager owing her big time. And speaking of jobs, she'd better head for bed too. Gathering up her accounting gear, the middle sister padded upstairs. Her shift started at 9 am.

Ranma Saotome laid on his futon, twirling a lit joss stick between his fingers. The incense was halfway burned, making it difficult to avoid the glowing edge. He smirked, eyes focused on the ceiling as the slender stick danced. A slight sting and he put it back in its holder. Two thirds gone, he was getting better. Wouldn't Pops be pleased. Ranma snorted quietly and folded his hands behind his head. So Kijuuki was a fighter. That narrowed the field down quite a bit. He smirked as he remembered the night he discovered the Kijuuki was a woman. Their rules were simple, whomever won could choose what to reveal about themselves. In case of a tie, they had to agree on something. It was Kijuuki's first win and her posture had been smug as she unzipped her jacket, revealing a sweetly curved chest in a snug yellow T-shirt. He still fantasized about that night, going so far to take off her helmet too. The face beneath changed regularly. No one knew what Kijuuki looked like, few knew she was a girl. Like the Ryu, the Kijuuki preferred anonymity. They both enjoyed the reputation as excellent riders with a long standing rivalry. Kijuuki often went up against the Black Roses, the only all-girl crew in town. He himself was usually challenged by the Lost Boys or Blue Thunder, rival crews that constantly jockeyed for position. Lone riders like Kijuuki and Ryu rubbed the various groups wrong, especially when said loners regularly beat their members. Ranma turned on his side and closed his eyes. Sooner or later, he would know Kijuuki's face. And then, he smirked. Things would really heat up.

--

Furikan High School is a school of many traditions. Their kendo and swim teams were top notch, the teachers preferred the 'water bucket' punishment and the morning fight never lasted more then five minutes.

Yes, every morning, just inside the front gates, there was a fight. It started two years ago, when one Tatewaki Kuno, kendo captain and leader of the Blue Thunders, announced that anyone wishing to date one Akane Tendo must first defeat her in honorable combat. The idea was to get all of his competition out of the way so he could date her himself. Sadly, his great idea backfired, as every schoolday morning for two years, Akane defeated every single challenger, including Tatewaki. The spectacle had devolved from twenty guys screaming romantic poetry to two incredibly stubborn, and some said incredibly stupid, potential Romeos, Tatewaki and Ryoga Hibiki, leader of the Lost Boys crew. Akane was reported to say those two were as bad as the twenty, for both were very good fighters and simply refused to give up already.

Ranma leaned against one of the support posts near the front door, arms folded over his chest, one eye cocked to the gates and one studying the restlessly pacing swains. Having dueled these two many times, both on and off the streets, Ranma found a sadistic pleasure in watching Hibiki and Kuno getting beat down by Akane. Ranma also crushed on the beautiful martial artist, but refused to swallow his pride and join the hordes fighting for her hand. The strategy worked, as Akane treated him with casual respect instead of contempt.

"She's coming!" A voice cried from the school wall, one of the many lookouts assigned by various betting pools. Hibiki and Kuno rushed to the gates, shoving and yelling insults at each other. As Akane came into view, both turned and began shouting undying professions of love. Akane's face darkened and she picked up speed. Ryoga got in front by tripping Kuno and threw a bandana like a lethal frisbee. Akane caught it in one hand and threw it back, not breaking stride. Ryoga ducked and the bandana caught Kuno dead in the forehead, knocking him back a good five feet. Akane jumped as Kuno hit the dirt, planting her foot firmly in Ryoga's face and using him as a springboard to clear Kuno's body. She missed, landing squarely on Kuno's chest and driving what little breath he had left clean out of his lungs.

"Serves you right!" Akane declared, jumping off and dashing to the doors. As she passed Ranma, he flashed her a victory sign under his arm. She returned it against the handle of her bookbag. Ranma smirked as he pushed off the post and strolled into school.

There is one more tradition noteworthy about this school. It happens at lunch time and has been dubbed "The Great Hair/Hare Chase". It also started about two years ago, when Ranma moved into town and caught the eye and obsession of one Xian Pu. Xian Pu's family owned a ramen shop and the beautiful Chinese expatriate took it upon herself to make sure Ranma had a delicious lunch, even though she didn't attend Furikan High. Xian Pu went to the all girl private school St. Hebereke across town. She was also a member of high standing in the Black Roses, which explained how she managed to ride from her school to the ramen shop to Ranma's school, chase him around the courtyard for fifteen minutes and still get back before her next class.

The fact that she was repeatedly beaten by Kijuuki was a taboo subject, liable to get one pummeled by a deluxe combo 3 or bori-bori, whichever was handiest.

This particular day was no different. Ranma had learned to keep one ear out for Xian Pu's nitrous-kicked Yamaha R1 and when he heard it come around the corner, he would find someplace to hide. Not that he didn't enjoy the free lunches; it was better then curry bread! No, he hid because Xian Pu had the annoying habit of jumping him like an octopus and clinging to him until he finished her offering. It was embarrassing, ESPECIALLY when she did it around Akane.

Sure enough, right as the noon bell rang, Ranma dashed to the roof. Various couples and a few delinquents liked to use the roof as a meeting place. Ranma used it as a sentry tower. He hopped onto the roof of the stair access and studied the roads around school. Quickly spotting a black and blue blur heading his way, he jumped down and dashed down the stairs, nearly knocking over a couple looking for a quiet place to sneak a few kisses. They exchanged shrugs and continued on their way. Ranma skipped the stairs in favor of running down the wide handrails and bolted outside via a second story window. Students calmly got out of his way and various wagers were made as he dashed towards a large oak tree. It was spring, the leaves had come in enough to hide him. With a finger to his lips at the various students sitting under said tree, he shimmied up the trunk and scrambled into the branches. Not a second too soon, for just as he found a good place to sit, Xian Pu rode into the courtyard.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! I HERE WITH YUMMY LUNCH!!" She caroled at the top of her lungs. Various students winced at her tone and broken Japanese. Despite the fact that she had moved here as a child, Xian Pu and her grandmother insisted on speaking broken Japanese when working in the ramen shop. The crews knew better, Ranma knew better. On the streets, she was not only fluent, she tended to rhapsodize. Stick a ramen pail in her hand and she turned into a silly girl fresh off the boat. Go figure. Xian Pu began cruising slowly around, peering at every boy closely and checking in every likely hiding spot, occasionally calling "RAAAANNMMAAAAA!" As she passed the tree where he was hiding, she stopped.

"See Ranma, violent girl?" She asked. Ranma blinked in surprise. Violent girl?

"Oh, yeah, Xian Pu, I have," Akane's voice responded. Ranma nearly fell out of the tree. "He was heading for the pool, muttering something about scuba gear."

"Violent girl no lie?" Xian Pu sounded suspicious. Ranma scooted to a slightly better view and peered between the leaves.

"Why would I lie? I hate boys, everyone knows that."

"Hmm. Truth. Xian Pu check." She drove off, calling his name. Ranma sat back; arms folded again and drummed his fingers against his bicep. Why HAD Akane lied?


	2. The Discoveries

Hello all

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

"I'm home!" Akane called as she kicked off her shoes. Tossing her schoolbag up the stairs, where it landed in front of her bedroom door, she strolled into the main room. "Hey, Kasumi, is there..." She trailed off in shock. Nabiki, Kasumi and Dr. Tofu were sitting at the table. Not only that, but Dr. Tofu was holding Kasumi's hand and his glasses were clear.

"Oh, Akane! Thank you for coming straight home. Please, come sit down," Kasumi said, letting go of Tofu's hand to pour a mug of tea and shove a plate of cookies in Akane's direction. Feeling a little numb, Akane sat down at her normal spot. She looked at Nabiki, who promptly buried her face in her own cup. Ice slid down Akane's spine. Something Big was going on.

"Now that everyone's here, I can do what I came for," Dr. Tofu said, rising to his feet. The three sisters watched as he walked to the other end of the table and knelt. "Nabiki, Akane. As you probably already know, I love your sister Kasumi very, very much. I want to marry her, but she will not give me an answer unless you two agree. I came here tonight to beg your permission to marry Kasumi. I would not take her away from you, as I know how close you are. Rather, I offer myself instead. I would happily move in with you until such time as you both have a place of your own to live or marry. Please, Nabiki, Akane. May I marry Kasumi and join your family?" Tofu bowed deeply, face nearly in the carpet. Nabiki and Akane exchanged glances, then looked at Kasumi. The eldest sister sipped her tea, the appearance of calm, but both her siblings noticed how tightly she was holding the mug.

"Do you...love him, Kasumi?" Akane choked out, her throat closing off. She breathed deeply, forcing her raging emotions back.

"Yes, Akane. Very much."

"How long has this been going on?" Nabiki asked, shock fading into cool calculation. Kasumi blushed.

"For over two years."

"What??" Akane jumped to her feet, startling everyone. Tofu looked up in confusion. "You've been in love since before Dad...and you never SAID anything??"

"What was there to say, Akane?" Kasumi responded calmly. "You two needed me much more and Ono understood. He agreed to wait until you were old enough. You've almost finished high school, Akane, and Nabiki has a good job."

"This isn't about me!" Akane's fists were clenched and she was panting. "This is about you! As it should be!" She whirled on Ono Tofu, who now looked a little scared. "You better take good care of her, Tofu-san, or I will personally make you regret it."

"Believe me, Akane. If I do anything to hurt her, I will gladly turn myself over to you."

"Nabiki?" Kasumi asked hopefully. The middle sister shrugged.

"Hey, as long as he adds his income to the family budget, I've got no problem," Nabiki grinned. "It's about damn time, you two."

"Then, my suit is accepted?" Ono asked eagerly. Akane and Nabiki exchanged mischievous glances.

"Well...it does depend on Kasumi," Nabiki said.

"You betcha. If she doesn't want you, then I'll have to kick you out for disturbing us. What do you say, Kasumi? You want this doctor?" Akane asked, hands on her hips.

"Oh my, yes! Yes I do!"

"Welcome to the family, Doc," Nabiki leaned over and punched Ono playfully on the shoulder. The poor doctor was trembling, glasses fogged over as he stared at the happily crying Kasumi.

"Oh, for pity's sake! Go over there and kiss her!" Akane cried, grabbing the doctor by his collar and dragging him over to Kasumi. It took a few tries, but the newly engaged couple finally managed to share a kiss. The sisters cheered and Nabiki insisted Ono take them all out to dinner to celebrate.

--

Akane sat on her bed, listening carefully. Nabiki and Kasumi were still up, standing in the hall and talking quietly. After several minutes, they finally said goodnight and went to their respective bedrooms. Akane waited another ten minutes before picking up her gear and tiptoeing out of the house. Sitting next to the still-camouflaged Beaker, she pulled on her boots, gloves and helmet, taking a moment to wipe her eyes. Flinging off the cover, she grabbed the handlebars and walked the yellow GSRX 1000 out to the street. Once she was several feet away, she got on and started up. The engine roared and she rode off, blinking hard. Kasumi and Tofu! No, Ono, or she would call him that after they were married. Kasumi and Tofu! Engaged! In love for years! The tears continued to well up and she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. She drove on autopilot, following well-known streets in a seeming random pattern. Kasumi and Tofu! They could have been married years ago! Damn her father! DAMN HIM!! She opened the throttle and the engine screamed. So focused was she on outracing her pain she failed to notice a startled Ryu watch her rush past.

--

Ranma slammed his helmet on his head and mounted his bike, kick starting the engine. Something was wrong. Opening the throttle, he chased after Kijuuki, bending low over his handlebars to watch her. Her front wheel was wobbling a little, despite her speed, and he pushed harder on his accelerator. He had to catch her before she ran into something! For half a mile he chased her, wishing he had a radio so he could call her and make her slow down. She kept pushing, her engine shrieking as it reached its limit. Muttering to himself, he triggered his nitrous. The engine kicked a little and the pitch changed as the speedometer needle jumped. He moved closer, still several meters away. Glancing around her, his eyes bugged out. She was heading straight for the canal!

"KIJUUKI! STOP!" He screamed. She wobbled again, then straightened out and flew right over the edge of the canal. "NOOO! KIJUUKI!" He screamed again, his heart in his throat as the yellow GSRX sailed into the air. He braked hard, trying to keep control as Kijuuki let go of the bike and planted her feet on the seat, pushing against it into a back flip. Ranma did a similar maneuver, using his seat as a springboard as his bike spun out of control. He reached out, praying he could reach her. She finished her back flip right into his arms. He adjusted to the weight and landed on the sloping side as Kijuuki's bike exploded in flames across the water, a good four meters away. Ranma knelt on the concrete, holding Kijuuki close to his chest. He looked down as she looked up.

"Are you ok?" He asked, his voice husky from worry. She stared at him, then looked back across the canal. Violently shoving herself out of his arms, she strode down the side nearly to the water's edge. Ranma scrambled to his feet as she yanked off her helmet and slammed it into the ground.

"DAMNIT!!" She screamed and proceed to turn the air blue. Ranma pulled off his helmet, absently noting she was creative in her cursing and she had short black hair. He gasped as her swearing stopped and she fell to her knees. Rushing up behind her, he grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked again. She sniffled and he winced. He wasn't good with crying females.

"Yeah, I'm ok, Ryuu...YOU!" She turned as she spoke and her eyes bugged out. Ranma's heart leapt to his throat again. AKANE! Kijuuki was AKANE!?

--

Akane gaped at the young man holding her shoulders. Saotome? Ranma Saotome was Ryu? She had been racing RANMA SAOTOME?? Her mind whirled with this new information. Ranma was staring at her, looking equally flabbergasted at Kijuuki's true identity. Sirens suddenly cut the night air with their wails and Ranma jerked away, glancing around.

"Shit. Come on, let's go," He held out his hand. She blinked at him. Go? Oh right, the cops. She quickly shoved her helmet back on and accepted his help standing. The rivals ran to Ranma's bike, Ranma pausing to kick-catch his helmet and slam it on. Ranma picked up his GSRX and mounted. Akane scrambled on behind him, wrapping both arms around his waist and snuggling up against his back to balance the weight. He started up and drove to a nearby alley. They rode silently and slowly, creeping along the alley to another street. The sirens peaked as three cop cars drove past. Ranma shook his head and threw his bike into reverse. Akane twisted at the waist, checking behind them, and slapped his helmet twice when two more cop cars raced by. He stopped in the middle of the alley, glancing around.

"Damn! We can't go out, we'll be spotted," He muttered, just loud enough to be heard.

"What should we do? They might come check the alleys," Akane pointed out. Ranma hunched his shoulders, then flipped up his face plate and turned to stare at her. She flipped up her plate and blinked at the serious look in his eyes.

"There's only one way. We'll have to go through the Pits." Akane's mouth fell open again.

"The Pits!" She hissed. "Ranma, you're crazy! No one goes to the Pits unless they have a death wish. People disappear in there. Their bodies aren't ever found!"

"That's not entirely true." Ranma took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. "I've been through the Pits, Akane. I can get us through there safely, but you'll have to do your part."

"What do I have to do?"

"Hold onto me. Do NOT let go for any reason and do NOT look around. No matter what you hear or think you see out of the corner of your eye, keep your arms around me and your eyes straight ahead. Got it?" Akane gulped and nodded.

"I won't let you go or look around. No matter what." He smiled.

"That's my girl. Hang on." They reached up and slapped their face plates down at the same time. Ranma turned the bike to the right as Akane tightened her grip around his waist and stared at his helmet. Ranma drove to what looked like a wall, only to have it open up into another, hidden alley. They cruised slowly through the darkness; the only light the red GSRX's headlight. Akane gulped again and snuggled closer, leaning her helmet against his and closing her eyes. Whispers penetrated her helmet and she could swear she felt hands groping her ankles. She shuddered.

"Stay with me, Akane. Don't look around," Ranma's voice broke through the whispers, driving them back. She shivered again.

"Talk to me, Ranma. Please."

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything."

"Ok. I wanted to thank you for keeping Xian Pu from finding me today. That was really brave of you."

"Not really." Akane smirked a little. "She may think she's all that, but she's not. She drives too fancy, always trying new tricks when she should be focusing on the course. Why does she chase you around? Does she know you're Ryu?"

"No, I don't think so. I went to her ramen shop a few days after we moved here. She waitresses there and when she saw me, she just decided I was 'The One'. According to Kou Long, her grandmother, Xian Pu has always been like that. See a guy and WHAM, instant obsession."

"Wow. Well, I suppose that could be flattering. She is very pretty."

"Pretty ain't everything. She's way too clingy for my taste and she won't take no for an answer, no matter what I do. Kou Long said I hold the record for her interest."

"Not something to brag about, then?"

"Hardly. She's a damn good cook, but way too scary. What about you and the HRD?"

"HRD?"

"Hopeless Romantic Duo."

"Oh, Kuno and Hibiki." Akane snickered and forced herself not to kick out when another hand brushed her ankle. She squeezed Ranma's waist a little tighter.

"We're almost out. You're doing great."

"If you say so. I'm about to jump out of my skin here."

"I say so. So, what is going on between you and those two?"

"Nothing. It's all Kuno's fault. I swear, he's as obsessive as Xian Pu, but instead of bringing me food, he fights. Always declaring that if I beat him, he'll allow me to date him. I always win, always refuse to go out and he just won't stop. I've thought about throwing the fight a few times, but I'm afraid of what he'll do if I did. Probably break into tears and offer to teach me." Ranma laughed.

"And Hibiki?"

"Oh, he's a nice enough guy, but I get the feeling he's more out to beat Kuno then date me. It's all about their pride, not any real interest in me, Akane."

"Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me." Ranma sounded disgusted. Akane opened her eyes, wanting to look up, then shut them again as the whispers started again in earnest. She shivered.

"Hey, Akane?" Ranma asked as the bike slowed to a halt.

"Yeah?"

"We're through." Akane opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head. Normal streetlights lined the road and she could see various businesses closed for the night. She swallowed and took a few deep breaths. The shock of what had happened flooded through her, making her tremble violently. Her vision swam and her stomach started churning in earnest.

"Akane? Akane! Oh shit. Hang onto me, ok? I'll get you someplace safe. Hold on, Akane, don't let go." Ranma's voice seemed rather far away, but she could feel him in front of her. She tightened her grip again, reassured by the warm, solid body in her arms.

"Don't let go. Right. I won't. Not ever," She whispered, closing her eyes again and leaning her head against his back. She felt the bike shudder and jump as Ranma threw open the throttle. She couldn't be sure, all of her focus was on not getting sick or fainting, but she thought she heard him say "Man, I wish that was true."


	3. The Aftermath

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

Ranma drove as fast as he dared to the Night Owl, a local diner that catered specifically to second and third shift workers. Naturally, the crews used it too. It served good food, had individual rooms like a traditional restaurant, and was owned by Ukyo or Uchan as she was known. Ranma parked in front of the cafe, not seeing the various crew cycles ranged up and down the street. He was too focused on Akane. She was trembling violently and panting through her helmet. Throwing her arm over his shoulders, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and forced her into the cafe.

"Uchan! Uchan!" He yelled. The pretty owner poked her head up from behind the counter.

"Ryu, he...oh my god! Kijuuki?" Vaulting over the counter, Uchan ran over and took Akane's other arm, helping Ranma support her. "What happened?"

"Wipe out," Ranma said tersely. Uchan nodded her head towards a back booth. They walked over slowly, Ranma finally noticing members from all three major crews gaping at them. Uchan noticed as well.

"What, you've never seen someone wipe out before? Please. Nothing to see here," She snapped and everyone promptly looked away. The Night Owl was neutral territory. Uchan served anyone who came in, but start something she didn't approve of and you were booted out for life. The trio arrived at the booth. Uchan let Akane go and Ranma helped her to sit.

"I'll get my counter tea brewing for her. Anything for you, Ryu?" Uchan asked.

"My usual, thanks. Oh, and make sure we're not disturbed." She shook her head, grinning at Ranma.

"You're going to break me, you know that. And don't worry, I'll put my best man on the door. Nobody's gonna see anything."

"Thanks, Uchan." The owner closed the privacy door and locked it. He heard her calling over one of her bouncer waiters to guard them. Smirking, he stripped off his helmet, then lifted the table and propped it against the far wall. Akane was curled into a ball, still trembling. Ranma knelt beside her and gently tugged her legs and arms loose. He removed her helmet and jacket, setting the helmet aside. She stared blankly, pale as a ghost. Serious shock. Ranma shook his head and made her lie down on her back, using her jacket to cover her torso. Taking off his own jacket, he tucked it around her legs and borrowed a seat cushion to prop up her feet. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and moaned.

"Ranma..." She whispered. He sat beside her and gently rolled her to her left side. Placing his right hand on her lower back, he started rubbing, letting his hand roam up to her side before working back down.

"Helping?" He asked. She nodded, blinking a few times. He smiled. "Just stay with me, Akane. You're safe here." A knock sounded on the door. He squeezed her side gently and stood, opening the door to receive the tray Uchan handed him while keeping her view of Akane blocked.

"Make sure she drinks that tea," Uchan said softly. Ranma cocked an eyebrow at her. She smirked. "And to warn you, this place is about to be hopping in 15 minutes. The cell phones were out as we passed."

"Oh shit," Ranma glanced over his shoulder, then back at Uchan. "We can leave."

"Like hell! This is gonna be my best night in weeks! Don't worry, I'll keep you hidden and help you sneak out. Where's your ride?" Ranma's face fell and she laughed. "Don't worry, I already had my guys move it to the kitchen. Let us know when you're ready and we'll get you out."

"Thanks, Uchan. I owe you one."

"We're barely even, Ryu." She winked and shut the door. Ranma put the tray down where he could reach it easily and sat down next to Akane, his back against the wall. Reaching out, he rolled her onto her back and slowly lifted her into a sitting position, propped against his chest.

"Ranma..." She muttered, trying to glare at him and failing miserably. He grinned and handed her a teacup.

"Relax. I'll be good. Just lean back against me."

"I can sit on my own, thank you." Akane pushed away and promptly grabbed her head. "Ugh. Ok, maybe not." He pulled her back against him without protest. She took the teacup and sighed, relaxing against him.

"Drink up. That's Uchan's Wipeout tea, her own special blend. It'll help counteract the shock." Akane took a sip and made a face.

"This tastes awful!"

"Yeah, but it works. I've drank it a few times myself."

"The great Ryu, wiping out? Say it isn't so!" Akane teased, taking a few more sips. Ranma watched, nodding in approval as her color started coming back.

"Hey, even I have my moments." Ranma reached for a pair of chopsticks, neatly split them and started eating one handed, keeping his other arm wrapped around Akane's side. The two sat quietly, Akane working on her tea and Ranma distracting himself by eating. He had promised to be good. Letting his hand wander now would not only break Akane's trust, but probably earn him double black eyes. After a while, he put down his chopsticks and offered Akane a bowl of rice and a clean set of chopsticks. She accepted, putting her nearly empty cup down.

"I hope you don't expect me to eat all of that," She said, eyeing the tray with four untouched dishes heaped with food. Ranma chuckled.

"Nah, the rice is for you. It'll help settle your stomach. This is for me."

"What are you? Part garbage disposal?"

"Partly." He grinned at her and started on the second bowl. She shook her head, her hair tickling his chin, and started on her rice. Another companionable silence fell over the couple. After Ranma had cleared another full bowl, he glanced down at Akane. Her color was much improved and she had eaten over half her rice.

"Feeling better?" He asked. She nodded.

"Yes, much. Thank you."

"So, you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Akane glanced up at him, chopsticks raised part-way.

"About what had you so upset you took a dive." Her face shuttered instantly and she looked at her rice bowl, putting the chopsticks neatly across the rim.

"No, not right now."

"Ok, but whenever you're ready, let me know. Doesn't matter what time it is. Got that?" He cocked his head, peering into her solemn, beautiful face. She glanced at him and nodded.

"I promise, Ranma. As soon as I'm ready, I'll tell you everything."

"Good." A sudden crash had them both looking up, startled. Ranma shook his head. "Sounds like it's getting rough out there. You feel up to going home?"

"Yeah. My sisters might be wondering about me."

"Ok. Get suited up." Ranma inhaled the bowl of soup still left and covered the final full dish, giving it a wistful look that had Akane smirking behind her hand. Together they tidied up the dishes on the serving tray. Akane got her helmet and jacket on while Ranma knocked twice on the door. After a few minutes, the door unlocked.

"You two ready?" Uchan asked through the partition. Ranma shrugged on his jacket and accepted his helmet from Akane.

"Yep!"

"Good. You'll have about thirty seconds to get to the kitchen. When I open the door, run. Ryu, you remember the way, right?"

"Right."

"Ok, on three. One. Two. Three. GO!" Uchan yanked the door open as Ranma grabbed Akane's hand and bolted. The two riders dashed into the kitchen, Uchan promising instant and total eviction to any crew member that passed her line of waiters. Ranma chuckled as he waved to the kitchen staff, which cheerfully waved back. Once outside in the alley, they found Ranma's GSRX next to the door. Uchan came out as Akane was climbing on board.

"Hey, Kijuuki! Here!" She tossed Akane a small package. Akane caught it and looked at Uchan. "More of the Wipeout tea. You'll need to drink one cup three times a day for the next day or so. Got it?" Akane nodded. Ranma started the engine, only to pause when his passenger slapped his helmet twice. He glanced back to see Akane shove her face plate up and toss Uchan something.

"Name's Akane Tendo," She said, bowing slightly. Uchan grinned and bowed back.

"Ukyo, but everyone calls me Uchan. Nice to meet you."

"Thanks, Uchan. For everything."

"Anytime."

"Ready, Ryu." Akane put her face plate back. Ranma nodded to Uchan and drove off, Akane clinging to him. Uchan glanced at the roll of bills in her hand and her jaw dropped. Regaining her composure, she looked back to where the riders had disappeared and saluted.

"You've got a good one there, Ranma-chan. Take care of her." With a sigh and a shrug, Uchan went back into the Night Owl to make some serious money.

--

Ranma drove to the closest intersection and stopped at the light.

"Where to?" He asked. Akane looked around and smirked under her helmet. She recognized the area, belatedly remembering she had driven past the Night Owl often.

"Take a left," She answered. Ranma nodded and turned left. Akane kept one arm around his waist and used her left hand to tap his shoulder for the appropriate turn. Fifteen minutes later, they both saw her family sign standing proudly near the gate. She slapped his helmet twice, he nodded and pulled up next to the sign. Setting the engine to idle, Ranma helped her off the bike and took off his helmet. She reciprocated.

"The Tendo Dojo of Anything Goes Martial Arts, huh? Somehow, I should have known." He grinned at her, only to have the smile fall at her serious expression.

"You saved my life tonight, Ranma," She said. He started to say something. She held up her hand and he closed his mouth. "You did. I might have cleared my bike, but I would have ended up in the canal and I'm not a good swimmer. So, you saved me. You even took the time to get me to safety so I could recover my composure before coming home. A Tendo never forgets a promise and she ALWAYS repays her debts. I want you to know this. If you need my help for anything, just say so."

"Akane..."

"I'm serious Ranma. Anything. Well, as long as it's not perverted or too illegal, that is," She hastily corrected. Ranma burst out laughing.

"Oh, man, you are just too cute!" She blushed a bright red. Ranma grinned at her. "I get it, Akane. If I need your help, I'll let you know."

"Good. Thank you, Ranma, for tonight."

"My pleasure." Akane bowed and turned to the gate. "Hey, Akane!" She looked back over her shoulder. He had his arms folded across his chest, helmet dangling by the strap on two fingers. "Stay home tomorrow. You'll need the rest. I'll make your excuses."

"Oh really?" She asked, turning to lean on the gate and copying his posture. "And just what are you going to say?"

"That you were jumped by a bunch of thugs while out for a walk around your block and I, who happened to be driving by, saw and rescued you." She shook her head.

"With the Morning Fight going as it does, what makes you think anyone would believe that?" Ranma blinked and looked sheepish.

"Eh heh. You're right. How about you were nearly run over by a motorcycle gang?"

"And you came and rescued me?"

"Of course!"

"Always gotta be the hero, hmm?"

"Only for my friends, Akane," Ranma said, his expression deadly serious. "Only for my friends."

"Are we? Friends?"

"I want to be." Akane cocked her head. Ranma was one of the very few boys who hadn't joined the Morning Fight at all, not even when it first started. And he was always giving her small signs of encouragement, like the victory sign he flashed her some mornings. Akane decided in that moment to follow her heart, an organ she had studiously avoided listening to since her father...well. She nodded and smiled.

"Friends it is. On and off the streets?" She asked hesitantly. Ranma's grin turned into an all out smirk.

"On and off the streets," He confirmed. She nodded again.

"I'd like that. Thanks again, Ranma. And like I said earlier, as soon as I'm ready, I'll tell you about tonight. Promise."

"And a Tendo keeps her promises," He said. She nodded.

"Always. I'd better go inside now, Ryu."

"See you around, Kijuuki. Remember, stay home tomorrow."

"I will." She waved and let herself in the gate. Skipping up to the front door, she glanced back to seen Ranma still there, with his helmet on. She waved again, he saluted and drove off. Akane smiled slightly. How sweet of him to wait until she was safely at her front door. Dad would have...

The enormity of the evening swamped her again. Sighing heavily, she unlocked the door and walked inside, locking up behind her. Why, Daddy? Why did you leave us like that? Why didn't you wait until Kasumi was married? Akane leaned her forehead against the door, fighting the tears.

"And since when do YOU come in the front door after 11 pm?" A voice behind her had Akane conducting an impressive spin jump and helmet toss. Nabiki, backlit by the hall light, caught the helmet careening towards her head. "Jumpy, I see."

"God, Nabiki! Don't DO THAT!" Akane gasped, hand on her chest.

"So, you wanna explain yourself?" Nabiki asked, folding her arms and looking very stern. Akane groaned, slumping against the door. She mumbled a response. "Sorry, didn't hear that."

"I said I took a dive! Beaker's totaled and floating in the canal!" Akane snapped back, a few tears breaking through her restraint. Nabiki stiffened, then walked over, grabbed Akane's arm and dragged her towards the kitchen. Akane yanked herself free when they reached the living room.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, trying to keep her voice down for Kasumi's sake. Nabiki snapped on the light and looked her sister over critically.

"No blood, no limbs twisted at odd angles," She moved in close, staring at Akane's eyes. Akane held still. "Eyes aren't dilated or mismatched." Nabiki's fingers flew into Akane's hair, probing her scalp. "No lumps, no apparent bruising. Considering you walked in here on your own and we didn't get a call from Tofu..."

"I'm fine, Nabiki. I jumped clear and I was caught."

"Caught?"

"Yeah. Ranma was behind me and caught me in midair."

"RANMA??"

"He's Ryu." Nabiki's mouth opened, closed and compressed. She whirled and stomped into the kitchen, leaving Akane blinking in confusion. The fridge opened and closed, then Nabiki returned with two cans, tossing one to Akane. Akane caught it and blinked again.

"Beer?"

"We're both going to need it by the time you've finished your story. Now sit and talk." Nabiki pointed to the table. Akane sighed and plopped down on her preferred cushion, popping the tab and taking a long swallow. She nearly spat it out again.

"GAH! You drink this stuff?"

"Only when pushed. I usually get a better brand, but this was on sale." Nabiki took several swallows of her own beer, then slammed the can down and glared at her little sister. "Talk."

Akane talked, telling Nabiki the whole story. Her conflicted emotions regarding their deceased father, Ryu's true identity, how he kept her safe from cops and freaky stuff alike and took care of her.

"So now I have a new friend and a smashed up bike. Oh, god, Nabiki, what are we gonna tell the cops? I don't know if Beaker's plate is legible or not!" Nabiki finished her beer and grabbed the telephone.

"It really burns me up how the bike Dad bought me for graduation and that I was going to bequeath to you on your graduation was stolen tonight by a bunch of punks looking for a joyride." Akane grinned.

"And to make matters worse, when I went out for a stroll to help me relax, given the excitement of tonight, I see that very same bike out on the street. And when I went to demand it back, the thugs tried to run me over. It's so fortunate that a classmate happened to be out the same time and rescued me. I could have been killed!"

"That's right! And this classmate was kind enough to take you someplace to be checked out and then saw you home safely. But I don't think you should go to school tomorrow. Who knows if those punks are still around waiting for you?"

"You're absolutely right, Nabiki. I will stay home tomorrow. Maybe Kasumi and I can start working on wedding plans."

"Good idea. You go on up to bed. I'll handle this." Nabiki punched a number. Akane nodded and stood, shoving her mostly full beer can towards her older sister. Nabiki accepted it with a nod.

"Thanks, sis."

"Hey, this what I live for. You get some rest."

"Night, Nabiki." Akane headed upstairs, grinning as Nabiki wove their story for the police. For once, she was glad for her sister's conniving ways.

--

Ranma strolled through the gates of Furikan High the following morning, backpack over his left shoulder. As usual, Hibiki and Kuno were pacing back and forth, watching each other and the gate equally. Ranma stopped just inside the gates, smirking at the HRD.

"She's not coming," He said casually, letting his backpack slide to the ground. The wanna be swains froze in mid-step and turned slowly to face him.

"What did you say?" Hibiki growled. Kuno settled for just growling.

"She's not coming," Ranma repeated. Kuno stepped forward, bokken swinging from over his shoulder to point at Ranma's chest.

"And how would you, a lowly 3-C student, know my goddess's whereabouts?" Kuno challenged.

"Oy! She's not YOUR goddess!" Hibiki grumbled, sparing Kuno a two second glare before turning the glare on Ranma.

"I was with her last night," Ranma said, smirking knowingly. He watched as twin gouts of steam erupted from Hibiki's ears and Kuno's aura grew to thunderous proportions. Ranma wondered briefly just where their minds had gone, then let his smirk grow and moved to a defensive stance.

"You insolent fiend! How dare you impinge the beauteous Tendo Akane's honor with such insinuations? State your name so I, Kuno Takewaki, leader of Blue Thunder, may smite you properly."

"Saotome Ranma of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"You cad! Xian Pu chases you around constantly, but that's not enough for you?!" Hibiki cried. Kuno's aura doubled in strength and the HRD shifted into attack positions. Ranma shook his head.

"I never asked for Xian Pu's attention. Believe me, you can have her! It would save me a lot of grief."

"Silence! I will hear no more of your foul words. Prepare to die!" Kuno shouted, raising his bokken. Hibiki threw a bandana while Kuno charged. Ranma ducked and rolled forward and to his right, cleaning dodging the bokken. He came up from the roll to bury his fist deep in Hibiki's gut. The Lost Boy leader crumpled around the punch, only to be grabbed by the collar and pulled over Ranma's head, blocking a side strike from Kuno with his own skull. Kuno skipped back a step, horrified at Ranma's actions. Ranma stood, tossing Hibiki aside carelessly, and turned to face Kuno. Hibiki landed on his side, desperately trying to blink the pretty pretty stars back to the Cosmos where they belonged.

"I see now. So the 'Anything Goes' in your school's name includes dirty tricks. No matter. I shall defeat you honorably and inform the lovely Akane of your despicable nature," Kuno said, pointing the bokken at Ranma again.

"I'd like to see you try," Ranma retorted. Kuno charged again, aiming for a kidney strike. Ranma grabbed the bokken in his left hand, yanking hard. Kuno stumbled. Ranma yanked again, twisting as he did so he passed Kuno on the right. Kuno lost his grip on his bokken and was sent face first into the dirt by a well placed kick to his backside. Ranma flipped the bokken so he was holding the hilt and propped it on his shoulder, studying his opponents. They slowly clambered to their feet, glaring at him.

"Had enough?" Ranma asked them, meeting their eyes.

"Never! I am not defeated!" Kuno cried. Ranma shrugged and brought the bokken down to a kendo stance.

"YES YOU ARE!!" A new voice thundered. Hinoko-sensei pushed her way through the crowd of gaping students and planted herself between the combatants. "You are all done and in so much trouble. The faculty overlooked the Morning Fight because it was mostly Akane doing the fighting and no one was seriously hurt. We will NOT tolerate boys fighting amongst themselves at all. Am I perfectly clear?"

"Yes, sensei." Hibiki bowed and stepped back. Kuno was not so deterred. He dodged around Hinoko-sensei, throwing a right hook at Ranma's face. Ranma countered with the bokken, blocking the fist with the side of the blade. A distinct cracking sound echoed through the courtyard. Kuno froze, mouth open, then dropped to his knees, clutching the broken hand. Ranma flipped the cracked bokken again and handed it to Hikono-sensei hilt first. She took it, shaking her head.

"Detention for all three of you, starting today and lasting two weeks. Hibiki, Saotome, get to class."

"Yes, sensei!" The boys made their way through the crowd, Ranma pausing to grab his backpack. He glanced back to see medical staff swarming Kuno while Hikono-sensei barked orders into a cell phone. Ranma shrugged and headed to the front door. A random student flashed him a victory sign, which he returned.


	4. The Realizations

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. WARNING! Suicide Discussion!

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

The late afternoon sun bathed the small town of Nerima in warm golden rays. It played over the trees and streets and gilded a lone figure hopping along the rooftops.

Ranma stopped on a random roof to orient himself. The Tendo Dojo was a few houses away. He could see the sign by the gate and sunlight dappling a koi pond in the courtyard. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head. Today had not gone well. First his Pop's blistering lecture, then Xian Pu showing up at school BEFORE the lunch hour with food for "her airen" and catching him still in class, then the various glares and death threats from the Blue Thunder crew for breaking Kuno's fist. In fact, the only GOOD thing about the day had been the Morning Fight.

Ranma sighed again, traces of Pop's berating still ringing in his ears. Not about the detention, his folks were fine about the reasons behind it. The Pits were buzzing. Never a good sign, and doubly so when the buzzes were directed at someone other then the Saotome clan. Ranma was used to being watched by the various denizens of the Pits, it was part of the job description. What got everyone's goat was that Kijuuki had been under surveillance for months and now They knew the truth. The Tendo sisters would have to be watched closely.

Ranma hopped his way over to the roof of Akane's house and strolled along the line, feeling in his backpack. Finding what he was looking for, he paused at the edge of the roof and slapped a small piece of paper just under the eaves. It stuck, the protective kanji facing outward. Ranma repeated the process on all four sides of the house, and then did the same to the dojo proper. Once the spell-scrolls were in place, he jumped to a neighbor's roof and turned to check his handiwork. Nodding his head, he jumped to the street and strolled over to the gate, letting himself in.

"Hello? Anyone home?" He called, heading for the front door. It opened and a pretty brown haired woman stepped out, shading her eyes with her hand.

"Good afternoon, sir. Can I help you?" She asked in a very sweet voice.

"My name is Ranma Saotome. I'm a friend of Akane's and I came by to check on her."

"You're Ranma? Oh my, how wonderful! Please, please come in!" The woman skipped over and took his arm, cheerfully dragging him into the house. "I'm Kasumi Tendo, Akane's oldest sister. I heard the whole story this morning. You were incredibly brave, standing up to a horrible street gang like that!"

"Uh..." Ranma stammered as Kasumi knelt to take off his shoes. This was NOT the reception he had been expecting! Kasumi helped him into house slippers and dragged him to the main room.

"Please, Saotome-san, have a seat. I'll be right back with refreshments. Akane! Akane! Ranma Saotome's here!" Kasumi called up the stairs as she hurried into the kitchen. Ranma stuck his hands in his pockets, glancing around. The house looked a little worn, shoji screens showing signs of patching and old, repaired furniture. The tatami mats were new and from the smells coming from the kitchen, food wasn't an issue. Footsteps thumped down the stairs and Akane came through the door.

"Ranma! Hi!"

"Hey, Akane." He looked her over and smiled. She looked fabulous in jeans and a green shirt with a big yellow daisy on the front. "I, uh, brought your homework. Had to bribe Hibiki to get it too."

"Hibiki? After what happened this morning?"

"Oh, you heard? Eh heh. Sorry about that. All three of us got detention for it, but Kuno was sent home. Getting your homework assignments out of Hibiki made the time go by pretty fast."

"Here we are! Please help yourself!" Kasumi caroled, coming out with a tray laden with cookies, cake and tea. Ranma's eyes bugged out a little. Akane chuckled.

"Sorry about this. When Kasumi heard what you did, she went on a baking spree to thank you."

"And you must stay for dinner! I made my special beef curry," Kasumi added, putting the tray down on the table. Ranma felt like a chick being fussed over by a mother hen as Kasumi hustled them both to the table and poured tea. He took one of the cookies and bit into it. They were as

good as his mother's! He inhaled that and two more while Kasumi clapped her hands and Akane looked at him funny.

"Now, I'll leave you two alone. Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Say, Akane, why don't you show Ranma the dojo?" With that, Kasumi disappeared, leaving Akane choking on her tea. Ranma gulped down his mouthful of cookie and hopped over the table to pat her back.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah," She gasped between coughs. He rubbed her back slowly while she took several breaths and a few small swallows of tea. When she was recovered, she sent a dirty look towards the kitchen.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?" Ranma asked as they stood.

"Like she said, to the dojo."

"Akane, if you don't want to..."

"It's ok, Ranma. You need to see the truth."

--

Ranma followed Akane across the stone path and to the dojo. He watched her closely, looking for any signs she knew what he had done. She paused at the door of the dojo, shoulders hunched. He moved beside her and glanced at her face. She looked like she was steeling herself.

"Akane," He said softly, wanting to help her. She shook her head and threw open the door. It banged against the support as she stomped in, kicking her slippers off violently. Ranma took his off just inside and shut the door. Turning around, he studied the space. It also showed faint signs of wear and tear, with a large tatami mat in the middle of the floor. Akane was standing next to it, one foot tucked halfway underneath. She beckoned Ranma closer. A strong feeling of protective disapproval surrounded him as he moved forward. Something Bad had happened here.

"What do you know about my father?" She asked when he was standing near her. He shoved his hands into his pants pockets.

"Just that he died a few years ago. I heard the rumors around school, but they were just rumors, so I ignored them."

"That's very kind of you." Akane slid her free foot back and forth a few times, then looked him in the eyes. "Two years ago, on the first day of the New Year, just before dawn, my father came out here in our family armor. He...committed seppuku." With a rough kick, Akane sent the tatami mat flying, revealing a large, old, irregular bloodstain. Ranma's hands fisted in his pockets and he looked around quickly. No other stains were visible. He glanced back at Akane, eyebrow raised.

"Did he...not have a second?" Ranma asked softly. Akane shook her head.

"No, there was someone with him. We don't know who. I woke up suddenly, overwhelmed with dread. I ran to my sisters, waking them up, and we searched the house. Not finding Dad, we came here. Nobody wanted to open the door, I think by then we all knew something was horribly wrong. Nabiki finally opened the door. She screamed. Kasumi fainted. I...I just stood there," Akane dropped to her knees, hands covering her face. Ranma flung himself to his knees in front of her, reaching out to rub her shoulders. The disapproval flared as Akane leaned into him. He pulled her close, stroking her hair as she cried on his shoulder. Outrage was predominant now, all directed at him. He ignored it in favor of soothing Akane. After a while, she hiccupped, sniffled and pulled back, brushing at his uniform jacket.

"I'm sorry, I soaked your jacket. We'll get it dried."

"It's ok." Ranma unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it aside, revealing a white button down shirt. "See? No problem." Akane gave a watery chuckle as she wiped her eyes. Looking up at him, she gasped. "What?"

"Your eyes. They're burning." Ranma ducked his head.

"They do that sometimes. Sorry about that."

"I just remembered. Your family came to the funeral. You looked at me just like that, with such burning eyes."

"Yeah, it happens when I'm angry." Ranma glanced up quickly. "I'm not angry at you, Akane. Not at all."

"It's my dad, isn't it?"

"Actually, it's my Pops. Because I just remembered something too. The reason we moved here from Tokyo was because Pops had been asked to collaborate on a project with an old school friend. That friend's name was Soun Tendo." Akane gasped, hands flying to her mouth. "Akane, we moved here one week before the New Year two years ago." Ranma's hands fisted on his knees and he began trembling a little. Akane also started shaking.

"Your father. Did he...go anywhere that morning?" She asked. Ranma nodded, keeping his eyes hidden by his bangs. He could feel the rage burning.

"I woke up early that morning too, feeling uncomfortable. I went to the kitchen to get a drink and Pops walked in the back door. He was carrying the family katana and..." He glanced up, noting how pale Akane was and winced.

"And?"

"And his clothes were soaked in blood." The two teens gazed at each other, one infuriated and one in horror. Ranma turned away from Akane and drove his fist through the dojo floor. The entire building trembled and the wood splintered around his hand, creating a foot wide hole. Akane jumped, then crawled over and took Ranma's bleeding hand in her own. He glanced at her, ashamed.

"Sorry about that. I'll fix it." She nodded, flexing his fingers to check the damage. Ranma leaned forward, resting his forehead against her hair. She froze and the outrage howled. "I'm so sorry, Akane. If I had known what Pops had planned, I would have stopped him! It's so unfair to you and your sisters, leaving you alone like that!"

"No, it's all right." Akane fished in her pocket for a handkerchief and tied it around his knuckles. Patting the bandage, she looked into his face. Ranma could feel the burning mingling with a desire to cry. His eyes were probably blazing, but Akane showed no fear. She smiled through her tears.

"Dad broke after my mother died. We lost her to cancer about seven years ago. He pulled away from us, retreated into himself. Kasumi and Nabiki did what they could. Kasumi took over the house, Nabiki didn't stop teasing me. I look just like Mom, you see, so we knew it was really hard on Dad to have me around. We did our best, but it just wasn't enough. He would have done it if your father hadn't been here, and then we would have found him alive and...and he would have asked one of us to finish it." She fiddled with the hem of her T-shirt, fighting more tears. "I don't think any of us would have had the strength or the courage." She took a few deep breaths and turned to look at the old blood.

"It's funny. I took a dive last night because Tofu and Kasumi are getting married."

"What?" Ranma blinked, stunned.

"Oh, not for what you're thinking. Tofu and Kasumi have been in love for years, but Kasumi put him off when Dad...died...to take care of Nabiki and me. Last night, Tofu came over and asked our permission to marry her. We gave it and all went out to dinner to celebrate. I kept thinking how sad it was that Dad wasn't there. Then I realized he could have, if he had given permission before he died, we could have all been happy together! I was crying so badly, I couldn't see where I was going. I didn't realize I was near the canal until I felt the bike take off." She shrugged a little and looked back at Ranma. "I was trying to outrace the pain." He nodded and looked at the stain. The outrage had faded, leaving a sense of regret and pride solely directed at Akane. Ranma got up and moved to kneel next to the stain. Putting his bandaged fist over his heart, he bowed.

"Tendo-san, I think I understand why you did what you did. Know that as long as I draw breath, I will do everything in my power to keep your daughters safe. You have my word as a Saotome. I'm betting you know what that means." Ranma lifted his head, adding a caveat in his own mind. _And if your youngest will have me, when she's ready, I will take her to wife._ He stood and held his hand out to Akane. She took it, blinking in surprise.

"What did you mean by that?" She asked. He hooked his jacket with his foot, tossed it in the air and caught it with his free hand.

"Exactly what I said."

"We don't need protection, Ranma," Akane said, yanking her hand free. Ranma hooked his jacket over his shoulder and stuffed the bandaged hand in his pocket.

"No, but if you ever do, for any reason, I'll be there. It's my way of paying you back."

"But I owe you for saving my life."

"Akane, what I did last night doesn't make a dent in what I owe you for my father's actions. He helped take your father away from you. The least I can do is make sure his daughters are safe and happy, be it from motorcycle gangs or jerks at school or the Pits." He gave her a half-smile that had her blushing. Well, well, what was this? Did Akane harbor similar feelings? "It's what friends do, right? Take care of each other?"

"You're right. Now it's my turn. Let's go get that hand properly bandaged, then we can eat. Kasumi's beef curry is the best in Japan!"

"All of Japan?"

"Well, all of Nerima, that's for sure!" Akane led the way out of the dojo. Ranma paused to toss a casual salute to the ki lingering in the dojo. He would need all the help he could get.


	5. Further Aftermath

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

Yay! Catfight!

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

'They' were right, Akane mused as she got ready for school. Talking really does help. She was feeling much better. True to his word, after dinner Ranma went to the hardware store with Nabiki, bought the needed supplies and spent two hours fixing the dojo floor. Kasumi insisted on him being driven home by all the girls. Kasumi wanted to meet his family right then, much to Ranma's and Akane's consternation. Ranma talked her out of it, saying they were probably asleep. Akane took the subsequent drive home teasing with her usual grace, namely denying everything and making faces at Nabiki.

"Akane! Hurry up or you'll be late!" Kasumi called from the kitchen. Akane quickly brushed out her hair and grabbed her book bag, taking the stairs two at a time. She raced into the living room and plopped down at the table, eagerly reaching for her breakfast.

"That Ranma certainly is a nice boy," Kasumi said casually, pouring tea. Nabiki smirked and Akane picked up her rice-shoveling pace. "I'm so glad he came over."

"I think he likes her," Nabiki added between bites of toast. Akane growled low in her throat. "And he did a fabulous job on the dojo floor. I checked it this morning and it's all polished, except for Dad's spot. He left a flower on the mat. Isn't that sweet?" Kasumi clapped her hands and Akane gulped her rice.

"I do hope he comes over more often. Akane needs to get out more, go on dates. She's not getting any younger."

"KASUMI!!" Akane burst out, slamming her rice bowl down. The older sisters blinked at her innocently. "Stop trying to set me up! Ranma's just a friend. You know how much I can't stand boys!"

"Funny, Ranma doesn't seem like a boy to me," Kasumi said thoughtfully.

"I agree. He's a man," Nabiki added with a smirk. Akane flushed and grabbed her bookbag.

"I'm going to school before the wedding-madness gets any worse. I swear, now that you're engaged, you want to hook up everybody."

"Oh, Akane! Would you make sure Ranma gets this please?" Kasumi shoved two bento boxes, neatly wrapped in cloth, towards Akane. The yellow one was hers, so the blue one must be...

"You made Ranma a BENTO?? Do you realize what this means?" Akane shrieked, waving her hands in the air and nearly smacking herself with her bag. Kasumi beamed.

"It's just another token of our thanks for what he did. He liked my beef curry so much, I made him some this morning. Don't worry, Akane. You can tell him it's from me."

"Great! Just great! My engaged sister is hitting on my new friend!"

"Akane! I meant nothing of the sort. This is simply another thank you gift. If it bothers you that much, I'll take it to him." Kasumi reached for the bento, only to have Akane snatch both lunches out from under her hand.

"No you will not. You are engaged to Dr. Tofu, you will behave appropriately. I'll do it. See you after school." Akane stormed out, muttering about romantically driven sisters as she put on her shoes and slammed the door. Nabiki and Kasumi traded smug looks.

Akane grumbled to herself as she walked along, plotting dire revenge on both meddling sisters.

"Hey Akane."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" Akane jumped, spun and landed with her back against a nearby wall, hand over her heart and gasping. Ranma blinked at her.

"God, Ranma! Don't sneak up like that!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. You ok?" He moved closer and cocked his head, studying her flushed face. She nodded, dropping her eyes. The blue bento caught her eye and she held it out.

"Here. This is for you. Kasumi made it," She said, keeping her head down. Ranma took the bento and opened it.

"Hey, awesome! Thanks a bunch, Akane! I was so busy this morning; I forgot to make a lunch. You've saved me from the vending machines."

"Busy?" Akane's curiosity got the better of her and she looked up. Ranma was sporting some bruises on his arms and what looked like scratches on his cheek. She reached out to touch the wound. "What happened?"

"Beat up my Pops for information." Ranma leaned into her touch, blue eyes going soft as her fingertips grazed the marks. She blinked at him, stunned by his look. What did this mean?

"Information?" Oh yes, last night. She let her hand drop and blushed a bright red. Ranma grinned and turned to walk towards school. Akane fell into place beside him, staring at the sidewalk.

"Yeah. I made him 'fess up. It was your father's death that brought us here. Apparently he wanted my family to watch out for you girls, make sure you didn't get thrown out or anything like that. You three did such a good job, you really didn't need our help. So Pops decided we should stay and make a life for ourselves. That way, if anything did happen, we'd be here." Akane looked up as Ranma glanced at her. "I'm glad I was."

"Me too." Akane smiled faintly and Ranma grinned. Akane could feel herself starting to fall into his eyes and jerked herself back, glancing at her watch.

"Yikes! We're gonna be late!"

"C'mon." Taking her hand, Ranma started to run. Akane stumbled a bit, then found her feet and quickly matched his pace. The two friends raced down the street and around the corner to their school gate. Hibiki and Kuno were stationed just inside, Kuno sporting a blue cast that matched his kendo robes. Ranma moved his right arm to her waist, grabbing her left hand in his left.

"Get ready to jump." He said between breaths.

"Ready." She responded. They neared the gate.

"Jump!" They jumped in time, sailing over the heads of the astonished HRDs. They both looked up, getting a lovely panty shot from under Akane's uniform skirt. Hibiki clapped his hands over his nose while Kuno just stood there, eyes glazed. Akane realized what had happened and saw red. Once they landed, a good meter away from the stunned boys, she jerked free and whacked Ranma over the head with her book bag.

"Pervert!" She shouted. Ranma dodged another blow.

"What? What did I do?"

"You gave them a look up my skirt, you jerk!" Ranma blushed and bolted, Akane hot on his heels.

"I didn't mean to! I swear, Akane! I just wanted to get you past them without fighting today!"

"By freaking them out?"

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

"PERVERT!!" The student body watched bemusedly as Akane chased Ranma into the building, swinging her bag wildly. Those watching closely could see a faint grin on Ranma's face.

Akane sat in her class, one part of her brain focused on taking notes while the rest plotted. Ranma's little stunt was not going to go unpunished. Oh, by third period she had calmed down enough to realize he wasn't trying to embarrass her. He just hadn't thought about the consequences of power-jumping over someone's head while in a knee-length skirt. That wasn't going to save him, though, not even a little. The lunch bell rang. Grabbing her bento, she bolted out of her classroom and down to 3-C. Ranma was already in the hall, racing towards the roof with his bento swinging wildly. She chased him down, grabbing his uniform jacket.

"AAA!! NO, Xian..." Ranma's protest died in his throat when he turned and saw who was holding him. Akane grinned wickedly.

"I thought, since my sister was nice enough to make you lunch, we should eat together. Come on." Taking his free hand, she led him downstairs and outside to her favorite tree. Ranma followed quietly. She glanced at his face and saw how dazed he looked. Hah! Served him right! They reached the benches circling the tree and Akane plopped down, letting him go to unwrap her bento and open it. After a few awkward seconds, Ranma sat down beside her, leaving just enough distance to show they weren't a couple. Akane noticed and smirked to herself as she dug in.

"Expecting Xian Pu any moment?" She asked casually between bites. Ranma nodded, eyes darting around as he ate. Akane scooted closer. As if on cue, a Yamaha roared through the gates and made a beeline for them. Xain Pu skidded to a stop about a foot away, yanking off her helmet to glare at Akane.

"What violent girl doing?" She demanded, hooking the helmet onto a handlebar.

"Eating lunch."

"Why violent girl sitting so close to airen?"

"Now, Xian Pu, don't...HEY!" Ranma suddenly realized Akane was almost snuggled against his side. He tried to bolt, only to be stopped by the end of a chopstick digging into his ribs.

"Oh, you haven't heard? Ranma was at my house last night." Ranma turned dark red at her knowing tone. Xian Pu's color and temper quickly rose to match.

"Violent girl no like boys! Say so!" The Chinese girl shrieked, jumping off her bike and pointing. Akane smirked.

"Who said Ranma was a boy?"

"EH?" Akane's victims chorused. Akane leaned her head against Ranma's shoulder, giving Xian Pu her best smug look.

"Ranma's all man." Xian Pu began muttering to herself in Chinese. Akane took her head off Ranma's shoulder and her chopstick out of his ribs. He continued to sit there, gaping at her incredulously while his face glowed. She ignored him in favor of Xian Pu, who looked ready to start swinging. Sure enough, a bori-bori came out.

"Violent girl not get airen! Xian Pu challenge you!" Akane put her bento aside and stood.

"No weapons."

"Eh?"

"I will accept your challenge if you meet me fairly. No weapons. If you insist on using that bori-bori, then I refuse your challenge and declare you dishonorable for challenging an unarmed opponent."

"ooooo" The crowd of students in the courtyard quickly made room for the two girls. Having been deprived of their Morning Fight, they were eager for some action. A catfight over Ranma? So much the better!

"Akane..."

"Stay out of it!" The girls chorused, glaring at Ranma. He backed down, looking on worriedly. Xian Pu shoved her bori-bori back into her saddlebag, causing some physic-minded students to start buzzing.

"Agreed."

"Then let's go."

--

A silver gray Sprinter Torrano pulled up to the gates of Furikan High, throaty rumble betraying heavy tweaking under the hood. A tall, handsome Chinese man unfolded himself from the interior, straightened his designer sports coat, and shut the door. A cheerful chirp indicated security system activation, almost drowned out by the collective gasps of the students beyond the walls. Mu Tsu shook his head and walked onto the campus. He was ignored as he skirted the edge of the crowd, his height making it easy to see over their heads. Yes, there she was, facing off against another girl. Xian Pu seemed to be favoring her left leg and the opponent was shaking her right arm. Interesting. Mu Tsu spotted another familiar face and made his way over to the bench in question, sitting down beside the younger man. Ranma glanced at him, then looked back at the sparring girls.

"Mu Tsu."

"Saotome."

"How's business?"

"Same as always. Yours?"

"Complicated."

"What else is new?" Mu Tsu picked up an abandoned bento box. It smelled delicious.

"Touch Akane's food and I'll break your fingers," Ranma said, eyes still on the fight. Mu Tsu put the box aside and crossed his legs, resting a hand casually on his ankle. The opponent was on the attack, throwing a series of punches that Xian Pu mostly blocked. Two landed, one in the face and one on the shoulder. Xian Pu stepped back, shaking her head. A red mark bloomed along her jaw. Mu Tsu frowned. Xian Pu was better then this! Who was this strange girl? Xian Pu retaliated, feinting a kick to her opponent's knee, then following with three punches. One landed in the gut. The girl crumpled around Xian Pu's fist. Ranma sucked in a breath and started to rise. Mu Tsu grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"You know better," He said mildly. Ranma growled low in his throat. Mu Tsu's eyebrows went up as Xian Pu was suddenly hoisted into the air, the opponent's hands around her waist. So, the girl had countered with a judo move. Interesting. Everyone watched with wide eyes as Xian Pu was tossed over her opponent's shoulder. The girl twisted as she threw the Chinese ex-pat, her left fist coming around and burying itself in Xian Pu's diaphragm before she hit the ground. Xian Pu landed on her lower back, body jack-knifing from the double impact. She lay in the dirt, mouth working. After a few seconds, she gasped and coughed, rolling to her side. Her opponent waited until the spasm ended, then used her foot to roll Xian Pu onto her back and hold her by leaving it on her sternum.

"You will let Ranma decide who he wants to be with. Yes?"

"Yes." Xian Pu's eyes blazed. The other girl seemed unaffected.

"You will give him the chance to refuse your lunches. Yes?"

"Yes."

"And if he chooses someone else, you will leave him alone. Yes?"

"Yes."

"Then honor is satisfied." The girl took her foot off Xian Pu's chest and walked towards Ranma and Mu Tsu. She stopped and glanced between the two men, finally settling on Ranma.

"Ranma?"

"Good job." Ranma stood, taking the girl's arm with one hand and snagging the bento sitting beside Mu Tsu with the other. She blinked at him as he took her away. The crowd made way for them, buzzing amongst themselves as various bets were paid. Mu Tsu shook his head and stood. Saotome always had been short on manners. No matter. He walked over and picked up Xian Pu, who had managed to crawl to her knees. She glared at him, then buried her face in his shoulder.

"**I am dishonored**." She whispered in Chinese. Mu Tsu snorted.

"**So dramatic. Learn from it**."

"**I have lost my airen**!" She wailed. Mu Tsu sighed as he carried her to the car. Deactivating the security, he opened the passenger door and settled her inside.

"**You never had him, Xian Pu. You belong to me. Remember that**." He slammed the door on her mutinous expression. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. A brief conversation in Chinese to have her bike picked up, then he was shutting the phone and getting into his car. Sooner or later, Xian Pu would realize there was only one man in her life. Him. As for Saotome, they would see each other again. In their respective lines of work, it was inevitable.


	6. The Pits

Hello all

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

Yay! Freaky stuff!

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

"Ranma, who was that?" Akane asked as her new friend dragged her into the nurse's office. Ranma ignored her, turning to the startled nurse.

"She took on Xian Pu. Please check her."

"Ranma! I'm fine! I've taken worse hits!" Akane's protests were to no avail. The nurse, knowing Xian Pu's reputation, bustled Akane behind a curtain and onto a bed. Akane sighed and accepted the examination, muttering to herself. After several minutes, the nurse confirmed she only had some minor bruises and could go back to class. Akane put her uniform shirt back on, threw open the curtain and pinned Ranma with a glare.

"Now, for the last time. Who…Was…That?"

"His name is Mu Tsu, Xian Pu's fiancé." Akane's mouth fell open.

"Fiancé? What's she doing chasing you around if she's engaged?"

"It's an arranged marriage, scheduled for when Xian Pu finishes high school. She's trying to buck tradition by chasing any guy who looks like he can stand up to Mu Tsu. According to Col On, the only way Xian Pu gets out of the engagement is if she finds a suitable replacement that proves himself."

"Let me guess. This replacement has to fight Mu Tsu and win." Ranma nodded, holding the office door open. Akane walked out, shaking her head. Ranma fell in beside her.

"Mu Tsu is a master of concealed weapons. He's defeated seven challengers in the last eight years," Ranma grabbed Akane's shoulders, turning her to face him. "Mu Tsu has links to the Yakuza, Akane. He's bad news, so avoid him at all possible."

"If he's such bad news, how come YOU know him so well?" She challenged. He flinched and released her.

"Our paths have crossed a few times, mostly because of Xian Pu." Akane nodded, grinning at him.

"Well, guess I'll have to stick around to watch your back, huh?" Ranma grinned.

"Sounds good to me."

--

Akane and Nabiki strolled downtown Nerima Saturday afternoon, having spent the morning on wedding preparations. Kasumi was going over dress ideas with Tofu's mother, a sweet older woman named Gin who was beside herself that her son was finally marrying. The younger Tendos knew they wouldn't be seeing Kasumi until after dark.

"I'm surprised Tofu-san hasn't suggested eloping," Akane said, reviewing the list Kasumi had sent them out with. They'd barely completed the first five items.

"Doc's been waiting a long time for this. I'm betting he's more excited then Kasumi. Just you wait. He'll be yelling at us because the flowers aren't just right or the invitations have the wrong script."

"I can deal with yelling better then Kasumi sighing and shaking her head," Akane declared, stuffing the list back into her bag. Nabiki rolled her eyes in agreement. The two passed a small alleyway between shops. Something long, green and shiny whipped out of the darkness and looped around Akane's waist.

"What the HELL!" Akane shrieked as she was yanked off her feet. Nabiki grabbed at her sister, only to watch her vanish into the shadows.

"AKANE!" Nabiki dug frantically for her cell phone, staring into the alley. She gulped when something detached itself from the blackness and moved to the entrance. It was tall, pale and cadaverous. A bald head sported black tribal tattoos over deep-set red eyes. The mouth curved into a feral smile, showing very sharp teeth. Nabiki let go of her phone and seized her mace.

"Give her back!" She demanded. The demon, it had to be, shook its head, still grinning. Nabiki pulled out the mace and aimed for the eyes. The demon hissed as the pepper spray coated its face. Nabiki moved towards the alley, eager to find Akane. An ice cold hand on her wrist stopped her. Swallowing hard, she looked up at the demon, which was licking the mace off its face with a long, prehensile tongue. She shuddered.

"So feisty, you Tendos. So strong. I can only imagine how…delicious you would be," The demon said in a soft, dry voice. Nabiki struggled, the grip tightened on her wrist. Something began burning her skin and she stopped.

"But for now, you will be my message. Yes. Fly to the Black Dragon, little bird, and tell him I have his potential mate. He has twenty-four hours to prove her to me. If he does not, my pet will feast." It gestured. Nabiki looked beyond it to see Akane wrapped up in what could only be described as tentacles. They were attached to a large green bag with dozens of eyes. Akane was squirming madly, trying to break free. One of the tentacles fondled a breast and she froze; eyes huge. The shadows claimed the pair and Nabiki turned on the demon, her own eyes blazing.

"Who the hell are you talking about and what does this dragon have to do with MY SISTER?"

"Oh, you know who I mean, feisty bird. He's the only one who can save her. My pet eats slowly, you see, and it's very fond of females. Has quite a taste for them, you might say." Nabiki concealed her horror and yanked her captive wrist. The demon let go abruptly, sending her stumbling out of the alley.

"Twenty-four hours." Nabiki stared at her wrist. Black symbols stood out on her skin, swirled together in an alien pattern. She looked up to see an empty alley. A few pedestrians were gaping at her. She shook her head, dropped the empty can of mace and hailed a cab.

--

The Pits have a reputation in Nerima. It was the Lost Boys who dubbed the dark and shadowy back alleys so after a run-in with the locals. Only two riders made it out alive and their story has been spread throughout the city. Demons, monsters, every imaginable horror can be found in the Pits, the story says. They long for human flesh, claw at anyone stupid or reckless enough to broach their borders and whisper said fools to madness. The Pits are a great place to go when you want to end your life, or want someone else to simply disappear.

Akane was quickly learning the stories had some grains of truth. The monster holding her, dubbed "Frisky" in her mind for its serious lack of respect for personal space, dutifully followed its tattooed master to what looked like an abandoned warehouse. All around, she could see living nightmares; grinning, slavering or snapping at them. Tattoo seemed to command respect and fear, all HE had to do was wave his hand and the horrors cleared a path for them. Inside the warehouse, Tattoo pulled up what looked like a stone throne and settled itself. Frisky carried Akane behind the throne and dangled her over the left armrest. Tattoo propped its head on its fist and grinned at her.

"I apologize for my pet, Miss Tendo. As I told your lovely sister, Sanji has a taste for females. I hope he hasn't caused you too much discomfort."

"Oh, no, just a lot of groping around my panty line!" She snarled, tossing her head. Her bangs flopped into her eyes and she blew at them irritably. Frisky brushed them back, adding another tentacle wrapped around her head like a headband. Akane growled.

"That, my dear Kijuuki, is but a taste of what you will enjoy if the Black Dragon does not make an appearance." Akane gaped at the demon.

"Wha…what did you call me?"

"My _dear_ Kijuuki, did you not know? You have captured His attention. It has been a long time coming, this event. I was beginning to despair."

"How…how do you know my riding name?"

"We know everything about you, Kijuuki. Or do you prefer Akane? It matters not to me," The demon turned its throne to face her. "But I have been rude. Here you are, in my residence, and you do not even know your host's name! Forgive me. I am Utsutsu," Utsutsu bowed slightly. Akane yelped as Frisky goosed her.

"Nice to meet you. Now could you tell your pet to STOP GOOSING ME?!"

"Sanji, cease. You'll spoil your supper," Akane gaped at Utsutsu again. Frisky, no way she was calling this anime porn reject _Sanji_, removed the offending tentacle. It settled for throwing an extra around her chest, squishing her breasts a little. Akane glared at it, using her anger to block her bone-deep terror. She didn't know any Black Dragon! Unless Utsutsu meant Ranma, but that was ridiculous! Just because Ranma knew how to get through the Pits…

"So," Her voice was shaky. She swallowed and tried again. "How do you know so much about me?"

"I told you, you have the Black Dragon's attention. This is no small feat, my dear. Many have thrown themselves at the Guardian Heir. When it was clear he favored you, I rejoiced. Long have I waited for this."

"What are you TALKING about?" Akane shrieked, kicking her feet in frustration. Utsutsu blinked at her, then threw back its head and laughed, a sound not unlike sandpaper. She gritted her teeth.

"Oh, this is wonderful! He has not told you! You, the very catalyst to trigger his rise and he kept you unaware! How brilliant! Not even his father was so daring," Utsutsu beamed at her like a kid in a candy store. "As long as you mortals have walked this world, we have walked it ten times over. We have always been here and will outlast you. But once you rose to power, we had to find ways of dealing with you. Many thought it best to wipe you out, others saw prudence in seeing what you would do. So a Council was called. Your race was represented in all its forms, as were all of ours. An Accord was made. We who prefer the shadows and the deep places would adjourn there, those who preferred the skies and stars moved above, and you mortals would inhabit the In Between. So it was, and to ensure the Dark would not press, nor the Light try to overwhelm, mortal Guardians were chosen. These were from all of your kind, and throughout the In Between, you watched us. In turn, we watched you. There have been times when the balance was tipped. Sometimes the Dark tries to gain footholds, other times the Light feels the need to meddle. When this happens, the Guardians unite and re-establish the balance. It is a very good system," Utsutsu looked at Akane expectantly. She blinked at him, her mind whirling.

"You…you're saying fairy tales and monsters and such are real??"

"Oh, quite real, Kijuuki. Make no mistake of that. Your kind evolved and developed, and we of the Light and Dark had to adapt as well. You mortals are very clever sometimes. The Pits, as you indelicately call this city of mine, is one of the Dark places. The Black Dragon is the Guardian, the one who watches. It's a family tradition, passed on from father to son, or mother to daughter, depending on who passes the Test."

"Test?"

"Oh yes. In order for the offspring to prove their worth as a Guardian, they must come to us and declare themselves. We have discovered a wonderful impetus," Utsutsu's smile turned wicked. "A Guardian must have something to guard, after all. A mate is the best gauge of loyalty."

"M…mate?!"

"Oh, how wonderful this will be! I have waited so long. His father led me a merry dance, took him years to find the right mate. Sanji ate quite well back then. But the son, oh, he's slippery. He knows, you see. This Black Dragon remembers the history of his clan. He remembers and he uses that knowledge," Utsutsu sighed happily and spun the throne to face the warehouse doors. Akane was left staring slack-jawed at its profile. From this angle, the tribal tattoos looked an awful lot like a ring of horns. Frisky stroked her breasts and Akane knew true terror. Could Ranma really be this Black Dragon? Would he even come for her? Sure, they were friends, and he claimed to owe her a life-debt, but that wasn't grounds for…for… Despite herself, Akane wished Ranma would come and save her.


	7. The Dragon

Hello all

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

WARNING! Discussion of rape and suicide.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Ranma heard the furious knocking from the side yard where he had been doing some repair work on his bike. Grabbing a shop rag out of his back pocket, he wiped his hands and headed to the front door. He pulled up short when he saw Nabiki hammering on the wood, her aura screaming hostility.

"Nabiki? What's wrong?" He asked, hurrying over. Nabiki whirled and Ranma blinked at the raw fury in the older girl's eyes.

"Are you the Black Dragon?" She asked harshly. Ranma's face shuttered and he grabbed her shoulders.

"Who told you that name?" He hissed. Nabiki held up her wrist, covered in Pit writing. Dark red fire blazed up in Ranma's eyes as he read the symbols. Spinning Nabiki to face the door, he yanked it open and shoved her through in one fluid motion. As the middle Tendo sister stumbled, he seized the marked arm and began dragging her up a flight of stairs.

"Mom! MOM!" He hollered. A woman appeared in a doorway, about halfway down the second floor hallway. She was dressed in fighting gear and rubbing her forehead.

"What is it, Ranma?" She asked. Ranma yanked Nabiki forward.

"HEY!! I had enough of the manhandling from the tattooed guy! Lay off already!" She shrieked. Nodoka Saotome's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ranma?" She repeated.

"_Birthright_, Mom. She's the message."

"That was fast. I had hoped…oh well." Nodoka quickly stripped off the fighting gear, revealing a form-fitting white tunic and red leggings. "Take her to the furo, Ranma. I'll be there shortly." Ranma nodded and tugged Nabiki's arm. She dug in her heels.

"I'm not going anywhere until you explain, tough guy. Are you the Black Dragon?"

"Yes, but that is a name you should not even _think_ outside this house, Nabiki," Ranma turned, pinning her with his fiery gaze. She gasped. "We don't have a lot of time."

"No shit. Tattoo Boy told me you have twenty-four hours to rescue Akane or she's gonna be eaten by a monster!"

"No, she won't. She'll be raped to death." Nabiki's throat convulsed. Nodoka re-appeared, dressed in a formal kimono embroidered with an imperial dragon. The head rested on her right shoulder, the body twined around hers and one three-clawed paw clutched a mirror over her left breast. Nodding to Ranma, she came and took Nabiki's hands in hers. Ranma stepped back respectfully, bowing slightly to both women. Nabiki blinked at him.

"I know you've been through a horrible experience, Nabiki Tendo," Nodoka said, capturing her attention. "What you need right now is a proper cleansing ritual, to heal yourself and remove that message from your wrist. Come, let me help you." Nabiki studied the older woman. Her eyes, while the same blue, shone with compassion and understanding. There was no fire. Numbly, Nabiki nodded. Ranma watched silently as the two women left. Once the furo door was locked, he stomped into the practice room. Pops was flat on his back, stars dancing merrily around his head. Ranma ignored his prostrate father and headed for a section of wall. Muttering under his breath, he pressed his hand against the wood. The protective charms fell back under his touch and words, revealing a well stocked armory. Ranma stalked in.

--

An hour later, the Saotomes and Nabiki gathered in the Saotome dining room. Nodoka plied Nabiki with food and tea. The middle Tendo felt oddly exhausted. First the encounter with that demon, then the discovery of Ranma as some legendary demon Guardian heir. Nodoka had given her the summary of the Saotome heritage, often calling it a curse under her breath. Then she had stripped Nabiki and performed a long, elaborate cleansing ritual. Nabiki was now dressed in a blue yukata and hakama combo while all her clothes, even her lingerie, went through a separate cleansing ritual in the wash. Her purse and shoes were sitting over an incense burner, smoke curling through the designer accessories. Nabiki frowned at the rice paper covering her wrist. It was held on with red string in complicated knots. Genma Saotome cleared his throat, sounding just like a hungry panda. Nabiki blinked at him over her teacup.

"May I see the message?" He asked, holding out his hand.

"You already know what it says, Pops," Ranma snapped, striding into the room. Nabiki looked up and barely suppressed a yelp. The friendly, helpful young man she had met was gone. In his place was a warrior. There was no other way to describe him. Like his mother, he was dressed in a kimono. Unlike her, the fabric was purple and the black dragon circled his torso and hips like living armor. The paws were empty, claws spread wide as if to strike. Flames licked his collar and Nabiki would bet good money the twin hilts she saw in the sash were not attached to fake swords.

"Now is not the time, you two," Nodoka snapped. Reaching across the table, she untied the cord and gently peeled off the rice paper. The strange writing came off on the paper, leaving Nabiki's wrist clean.

"Interesting," Nabiki murmured, rubbing her wrist. Ranma snatched the paper away from his mother and turned on the Tendo woman. Nabiki swallowed hard at the flames leaping in his eyes.

"By my blood, I will bring Akane back, Nabiki Tendo."

"Go forth, Guardian, and retrieve what is rightfully yours," Nabiki responded, using the words Nodoka had drilled into her head during the bath. Ranma nodded, stuffing the paper into his kimono. With a look at his father, he bowed to the women and left the room. Nabiki looked back at the couple.

"Is he…always like that when he's angry?"

"This is the angriest I've seen him. Your sister has had quite an impact," Nodoka said, pushing another plate of treats at Nabiki. "I do wish The Pits had waited until they had finished high school, though. It's going to be difficult getting Ranma to graduate with a wedding to plan." Nabiki performed a crumb-filled spit-take all over Genma, who grumbled quietly to himself.

"WEDDING?!"

--

Utsutsu stabbed a slice of sashimi from the artfully butchered koi gracing his plate with a talon and offered it to Kijuuki, still dangling over the armrest. She gave him a dirty look.

"Is there a reason I can't sit at the table like a normal person?" She asked; jerking her head at the round table set near the throne, all laid out for two, complete with black candles. Utsutsu preferred the finer things.

"Yes, there is," Utsutsu offered her the fish again. Kijuuki huffed.

"What…is…the…reason?"

"The reason, my dear Kijuuki, is that you can't be seen dining with your host when the Dragon arrives. It's not good form, might make him think you've switched sides or been enchanted or some such nonsense. No, proper bait must remained tied up. That does not mean, of course, that I intend to neglect you. Even if He does not show, you will be cared for until Sanji is satisfied. But I should warn you, it's been a very long time. It might take many days for his hunger to be satiated."

"That's not very nice, you know, hinting at that," Kijuuki grumbled. Utsutsu patted her head. This one was rather brave, as humans go. Other bait would have been crying or unconscious by this point.

"My dear Kijuuki, _nice_ is a human concept. We of the Dark have no use for such a word. You should be grateful I'm being so honest with you. It would be just as easy to assure you all will be well and laugh as Sanji feeds. Yes, just as easy, and much more fun for me. I must be getting soft." Utsutsu seized her chin, forced her mouth open and shoved the sashimi in, using her teeth to scrape his talon clean. He then moved her jaw up and down. She jerked her head away and swallowed the fish.

"Isn't feeding your bait by hand bad form?" She snapped. An explosion rocked the building. Glass and wood showered down on the startled trio, Frisky making frightened bubbling sounds as it yanked Akane back. A squishy swish was heard, followed by a teakettle hiss. Utsutsu frowned as Sanji burbled its pain. A large black shadow swooped down, landing about a meter away from the throne. Sanji flailed its severed limbs, its body roiling. Utsutsu watched as the shadow coalesced into the Dragon and hissed in pleasure. The Heir was in full regalia, including the family swords, and he was holding his potential mate in his arms. Kijuuki looked both surprised and relieved.

"State your purpose, Heir Apparent!" Utsutsu hissed, rising from his throne. The Dragon put Kijuuki down and stepped aside. As she turned to him, confused, he reached into his kimono and flung out his hand. Another purple kimono, this one with a gold dragon, swirled around Kijuuki's shoulders, covering her completely.

"I am taking back what you have stolen, Oni-sama."

"What have I stolen?" It asked, hands behind its back as it walked forward. Kijuuki stepped back and the Heir moved to cover her, hands on hilt.

"You took my Chosen. By my blood, I will take her back. By my blood, I will return her to the In-Between. By my blood, I will claim her as my own," The Dragon snarled. Utsutsu laughed delightedly and revealed its weapon; a thin black spear with a multi-pronged head.

"First time lucky, Black Dragon? This is a change. How many times did it take your father? Five? Six?"

"You leave them out of this!" The Dragon howled, his eyes almost completely red from his rage. Utsutsu smirked as it blocked the sword, using the spear's superior length to knock the human back a pace.

"Ah, so you haven't forgiven him. I suppose your mother hasn't either. I was surprised he took the full oath for her," The Dragon attacked again, cutting Utsutsu off. The demon lord chuckled as they fought, enjoying itself immensely. This Black Dragon was very skilled, but still no match for an Ancient like itself. It allowed itself to be driven back towards its throne. "What makes the Chosen so different, dragonling? Do you know?"

"I said, shut up! You killed them, I won't let you kill Akane!" The Heir ducked and dodged, trying to get through the kill zone. Utsutsu spun away from the throne, moving faster then human or Heir eye could track, and poked the Heir in the backside with the tip. He yelped and jumped almost two meters into the air, landing on the back of the throne. Utsutsu grinned up at the human.

"Who did I kill, Heir Apparent? All of your father's potentials were released alive. Any mortal who eats my food must pay the price to leave my realm. It's the Guardian's duty to pay the price, but if their heart is not committed, then the bait must pay it. Sanji only took what it needed. One bite, one payment, five bites, five payments, it is the way of things," Utsutsu rested the spear against its shoulder, watching the rage grow in the Heir. "Even the most reluctant bait eventually surrendered. Sanji is quite skilled in coaxing females."

"Two of them committed suicide and it's your fault, Oni-sama!" The Dragon charged, pointing the katana. Utsutsu sighed and brought its spear to bear.

"Four did not. If Sanji's touch was too much for those two to bear, then the human race is better off without them. It shows a distinct weakness your kind cannot afford."

"I SAID SHUT UP!!" The Dragon leaped, landing on the outstretched spear and charging up the shaft. Utsutsu smirked, dropped the spear and dodged the strike aimed for its head by spinning around the human. Grabbing the still falling spear, it yanked the shaft out from under the Heir's feet and clubbed him across the ribs with the butt. The human smashed into the warehouse floor, not far from his Chosen. Kijuuki screamed and raced over. Utsutsu watched her hands flutter over the groaning Heir, trying to determine his state. It allowed them the brief moment, then walked over. Waving its hand, it sent Kijuuki sliding away, much to the potential's loud protest. Utsutsu raised the spear over the fallen Heir.

"By your blood, the Chosen shall be released. By your blood, she will be returned," It said, driving the spear home.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!"


	8. The Consequences

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

To make up for the long delay in posting, I give you, a bath scene! Yay!

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

Ranma laid still, eyes staring at Utsutsu. He heard Akane's broken, sobbing denials, but could do nothing to soothe her pain. The ritual had to be fulfilled so she could be returned safely. He could feel his blood trickling from the neck wound, seeping into the spearhead, which eagerly absorbed the price. Hell, how much had Utsutsu fed Akane? The blade seemed to need a lot of blood! Utsutsu laughed.

"It is not as much as you think, Heir." The demon lord removed the spear, dragging it gently across the thin, open cut on the side of Ranma's neck. Akane gasped and stormed into view, yelling every obscenity Ranma had heard, and a few combinations he hadn't.

"Geez, Akane, you kiss your sisters with that mouth?" Ranma asked, his voice a ragged whisper. Akane shut up mid-insult, slowly turning to look at him. He lifted one hand. "Little help here?"

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" She lunged, only to be halted in midair by Utsutsu. She kicked and struggled, face an alarming shade of red as she continued her profane shrieking. Ranma sighed as the demon lord shook its head.

"The Tendo clan breeds strong women, Guardian. You have Chosen well."

"Will you stop SAYING THAT!" Akane hollered. Utsutsu dragged a talon thoughtfully through the blood coating the spearhead.

"Come, Guardian. Up. Let us finish this before your mate permanently damages my hearing." Akane choked on her own breath. Ranma couldn't fight the smirk as he pushed himself up out of the hole in the floor. He hobbled over to Utsutsu, reached up and accepted three drops of blood from the talon onto his own fingers. Shuffling over to Akane, boy did he HURT, he quickly drew his family kanji on her forehead. Akane sucked in a breath as the kanji flashed.

"By your blood, she is claimed," Utsutsu intoned. Akane was released, dropping directly into his arms. Ranma grunted at the pain, keeping one arm firmly locked around her waist. Akane clung to him with both arms, glaring at Utsutsu.

"With all due respect, I never want to see you again," She announced. Ranma winced and Utsutsu laughed.

"My dear Kijuuki, I make no promises. Now, off you go!" It gestured with the spear. Ranma and Akane turned to see the warehouse doors open. They walked slowly into the light, Akane supporting Ranma, much to his chagrin. They emerged from the warehouse into a sun-drenched alley, with fences and houses and various other trappings of modern living.

"Where ARE we?" Akane asked, looking around. Ranma snickered.

"Behind my house," He nodded to the small sign reading "Saotome".

"Why couldn't he just send us inside?"

"Because of the wards."

"Wards?" Akane frowned at the back fence. "You mean that shimmering in the air?"

"That was fast," Ranma muttered as the couple made their way inside.

--

"AKANE!" Nabiki shouted, leaping over the table to smother her sister in a crushing hug. As Akane staggered back under the sisterly assault, Ranma was left flailing his arms to keep his balance. The valiant gesture did not work and he crashed into the doorframe.

"Damn it."

"Are you ok?" Nabiki let go and began flitting around Akane, checking for injuries. "Seriously? That…thing didn't hurt you?"

"Nabiki, I'm fine."

"You're not lying to me, are you? You don't have to just because Ranma's here." Nabiki grabbed Akane's shoulders and shook.

"Hey! Lay off! She's been through enough!" Ranma snapped.

"It wasn't any worse then the subway, really," Akane pressed her hands against Nabiki's, smiling. "I'm _ok_."

"You're a brave one, Akane Tendo," Nodoka said, joining the girls.

"Meep!" went Akane. Nodoka smiled. She gently pried Nabiki's hands off Akane's shoulders and nudged the youngest Tendo over to Ranma. "Help him up, Akane, and take him upstairs. You both need to be cleansed and Ranma needs medical treatment."

"MOM!" Ranma hollered as Akane helped him up, his cheeks bright red. Nodoka blinked at him.

"You're engaged now, Ranma. There's no sense in wasting time with modesty. Heavens, Genma was black and blue from neck to ankles when he Chose me and I treated him." Nabiki bit her hand and started to shake. Ranma's face grew steadily redder and Akane's aura became highly charged.

"Engaged?" Akane bit off, glaring at Ranma. He groaned.

"Sorry about this."

"Have no fear, Akane, Ranma will make an excellent husband. Now, off you go. The furo is the fourth door on your left. Everything's all set up and the water should be just right," Nodoka made shooing motions with her hands.

"You don't have to, Akane," Ranma muttered.

"Oh, don't worry, Ranma! I'm going to take _very_ good care of you. It's my duty, after all!" Akane dragged the hapless Guardian up the stairs, Ranma shooting panicked looks over his shoulder. Once they were gone, Nabiki fell over laughing. Genma frowned at the ceiling.

"He's a disgrace,"

"Nonsense, Genma. YOU bawled like a baby. Our son is now a man among men, and at such a young age too," Nodoka's eyes grew starry. Nabiki pushed herself up, still giggling.

"I hope my camera's batteries are still good!" She whispered to herself.

--

The furo was filled with the tense, heavy silence only two totally-uncomfortable-but-still-attracted-to-each-other teenagers could generate. Akane, modesty barely kept intact by a carefully wrapped and tucked towel, was gingerly washing the blade cut on Ranma's neck. Ranma was also carefully towel-wrapped. Needless to say, getting undressed together in the dressing room had been _awkward_.

"So, we're engaged now?" Akane asked, reaching for some ointment. Ranma sighed heavily.

"When a Guardian takes the full oath, it's seen as pledge to mate. So, um, yeah. We are," Four cheeks flushed bright red.

"So…"

"So…"

"Why DID you take the full oath?!" Akane blurted out, slapping a bandage hard against Ranma's neck. He winced.

"You deserved better then the half-assed oaths my father took. You heard what happened to the girls Pops dated. All of them were raped, Akane. I…I couldn't let that happen to you," Ranma explained, ducking his head. Akane blinked and sat back, looking down.

"Oh," She said in a very soft voice. "That's why."

"Huh?"

"There isn't any way we can get out of it? Tell your parents we…we don't suit or something?" She asked. Ranma blinked at her.

"The oath was sealed in blood, Akane. MY blood. We…we're bound now."

"Bound." Akane said in a flat voice, her face shuttered. Ranma started to panic.

"Look, it's not how it sounds! It's…it's like a link. You've heard of identical twins knowing what the other one's thinking and stuff, right?" He asked, barely resisting the urge to grab her hands, which were twisting together on her lap.

"Yeah,"

"It's kind of like that. I'll know when you're in any kind of trouble and I'll be able to find you," He smiled. She glanced up, still with that shuttered expression. Ranma sweatdropped.

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Will I know if you're in trouble?"

"Um…theoretically."

"Theoretically." Still that flat voice! Ranma fidgeted, wondering what the hell he had said wrong.

"I don't know if Mom has that kind of connection. When Pops is in trouble, it's usually from her, so…" He shrugged. Akane huffed and looked away. Ranma could almost _see _the anger building in her and braced himself.

"Great. I'm engaged to a demon Guardian by some kind of freaky blood oath. Did it ever occur to you, Ranma, that I might want a say in the matter!?" She hollered, reaching out and shaking him violently.

"I d...id…nt…th…ink…you…we..re…rea…dy," Ranma stuttered out between shakes. Akane let go and he toppled off his stool, clinging tightly to his towel. Akane jumped to her feet, doing an excellent giant oni-head impression. Part of Ranma's brain wondered where she had learned that, his hormones simply cheered for the excellent view of heaving bosom below.

"READY!? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" She screeched. Ranma winced and sat up, his own temper finally beating down both fascination and perverted delight.

"IT MEANS YOU WEREN'T READY FOR THE ENGAGEMENT!" He shouted back. Akane subsided, mouth open in shock. Ranma got to his feet, red eyes glaring.

"I know you're too young to get married, Akane. So am I. I wanted to tell you after graduation, let you get used to the idea of me being in your life first, hell, even take you on a date if we could get past the HRDs flipping out. If you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at my mom."

"Oh, no you don't! Your mother is not the one responsible here, Ranma. Why didn't you _tell_ me what you were?" Akane snapped, glaring right back.

"Would you have believed me?" He challenged

"After the Pits? Yes, I would have." She folded her arms. Ranma blinked and sighed.

"Given all you'd been through that night, I didn't think it was appropriate."

"I told you my darkest secret _the very next day¸_ Ranma. You think that was easy, showing you where my father committed suicide? CRYING in front of you?"

"I've never doubted your bravery, Akane," Ranma rubbed the back of his head, eyes everywhere but on her. "I just…we had only been friends for a day. I didn't want you to be afraid of me."

"Ranma you idiot!" Akane shoved him, hard. Ranma tripped over his stool and went headfirst into the bath. As he came up, spluttering, Akane met him with a stool in her hands. "Pervert!" She bashed him over the head, sending him back under. He flailed in the hot water, finally grabbing the edge and pulling himself up.

"What the hell, Akane?" He yelled. Akane was beet red and looking at the floor.

"As if I'd ever be afraid of you," She muttered. He blinked a few times, and finally grinned, kneeling to preserve what was left of their mutual modesty.

"Wanna go riding tonight?"

"I don't have a bike."

"We'll share. Give everyone something to really talk about. What do you say?" Akane looked up, a devious smirk on her face.

"Sounds like fun."


	9. The Declaration

Hello all

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

After dark in Nerima there are places moral, upright citizens simply do not _go_. Any alleyway, this is a given. Even teenagers on a Truth or Dare kick shy away from sticking a foot into an alley after dark. But there are other places. Certain streets where certain rascally hooligans like to gather and make a lot of noise racing those infernal motorcycles, not to mention said hooligans have NO respect for moral, upright citizens and will threaten to mow said citizens down or buzz them yelling "Grandpa", "Grandma" or "Geezer".

There is one exception, but he could hardly be considered moral or upright, given his addiction to women's underwear and groping whatever young female he can get his wrinkly paws on. The Black Rose crew always rides together after dark for a reason. Safety in numbers, dontcha know.

Saturday nights are the best nights for riding. All the crews have the weekend off, so they can get together and settle rivalries, bet on each other, challenge as needed and generally hang out. Downtown was best, as it had the carefully timed stoplights and The Night Owl. Blue Thunder and Black Rose usually met on one particular thoroughfare that ran the entire length of downtown and a quarter mile equaled two stop lights. The Lost Boys preferred a cross street where the quarter mile was three stop lights long. There have been a lot of accidents.

On the second corner where the cross strips meet, Black Rose, aka Kodachi Kuno, held her usual court, perching on her tribal Honda CBR600RR and laughing loudly at Xain Pu's theatrics. Five other girls, riding Yamaha R1s or Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6Rs, either lounged against their bikes or chatted with Blue Thunder members who were leaning against their Yamahas and Suzukis. Kuno was pacing the sidewalk, loudly complaining about the lack of action.

"That Ryu has no respect! How DARE he not show up on this most exquisite night. The streets are dry, the air is clear, it's perfect for racing!"

"Tatewaki, my darling brother, why do you wish for the Ryu? You cannot race with such broken fingers," Kodachi reminded him, flipping her hair.

"And do you not think, dear sister, that I cannot see the suppressed rage in your eyes at the lack of the Kijuuki? Why do you challenge that base-born scum? Surely any of my men would trounce such a pipsqueak." The men in question muttered amongst themselves, words like "fat chance" and "no way in hell" seeping out. Tatewaki turned his thunderous gaze on his crew, who promptly backed up and began waving their hands.

"I challenge Kijuuki because I know, darling brother. You do not."

"What is this infernal knowledge you keep to yourself, Kodachi?" Tatewaki protested, gesticulating. "What could you possibly know about that cursed Kijuuki that is so dire, you keep it from ME?"

"That, Tatewaki, is for me to know, OHHOHOHOHOHO!" Kodachi held her hand before her mouth and threw back her head as she laughed. Tatewaki muttered something about psycho gardeners which had both crews grumbling in agreement. Kodachi glared at her crew, who all sweatdropped. Tatewaki held up a hand.

"Hark! I hear the roar of an infernal engine. The Ryu is coming," He announced darkly. The teenagers all shut up and listened to the distinctive sound of Ryu's GSXR 1000. The pitch was different tonight, the reason became apparent when the red bike appeared on the cross street, barreling down at the crews. Those in the intersection scrambled out of the way as Ryu screeched to a halt in the middle of the square, Kijuuki snuggled up behind him. Several jaws hit the ground.

"Hey," Ryu said as Kijuuki slid off the bike. He knocked the kickstand down and dismounted. Most of the jaws were still on the concrete, but a few were recovering, Kodachi first. She raised a trembling finger.

"Wha…what is the meaning of this?" Her voice started soft and ended in a screech. Kijuuki shrugged.

"We're here to make an announcement."

"That's right. As of today, Ryu and Kijuuki are no longer loners," Ryu added.

"WHAT!?" Rang out from fifteen stunned teenaged throats. Ryu and Kijuuki posed back to back, Ryu with his arms folded, Kijuuki with her hands behind her back. As an afterthought, she crossed her ankles.

"We are now the Anything Goes crew!" They chorused. One of the Roses swooned into the arms of a Thunder, who barely caught her in time. Silence reigned, only to be broken by Kodachi's sudden scream.

"This…this is an outrage! Kijuuki! I challenge you, here and now! Winner is the only one who rides backseat to Ryu! How DARE you usurp the position I have coveted for so long!" Kijuuki turned to Ryu, who was sporting a giant sweatdrop on the outside of his helmet, and smacked him soundly upside the head.

"Why didn't you tell me about this one?!" Kijuuki hollered. Ryu hunched his shoulders.

"I didn't know!" He protested. Tatewaki cocked his head.

"Then, if Kijuuki is now your backrider, this means…you're gay?" He asked, turning pale. Gasps echoed up and down the street. Ryu made fists.

"I'M NOT GAY!!" He shouted. Kijuuki's helmet shook back and forth, looking remarkably sad for plastic and foam.

"He's not gay, Kuno," Kijuuki confirmed.

"I should hope not! As if I would ever set my sights on someone who could not appreciate the charms of a beautiful woman!" Kodachi added. Xian Pu, whose face had been steadily falling, turned to her chief with tears in her eyes.

"Honored leader, how could you break this one's heart so? You have known how much I have longed for the virile Ryu, how I have challenged my own clan for the right to date him. How could you harbor similar affections and not inform me, your most loyal rider?"

"Bah, Xian Pu. You are already engaged and Ryu is too intelligent to challenge your fiancé. He has never liked you and you know it. I, on the other hand, am the only one worthy of holding onto Ryu's sculpted chest as we roar through the streets," She advanced on Kijuuki. "Right here, right now, you tramp!"

"No," Kijuuki said firmly, folding her arms. Kodachi stopped, eyes bugging out. Tatewaki scratched his head.

"Then, if Ryu is not gay, then Kijuuki is female?" He muttered. A strange light flared in his eyes. With a sudden bound, he jumped in front of Kijuuki, neatly shouldering his sister aside.

"Dear, sweet Kijuuki, whose wings must be heaven-blessed, I beg of thee, race me. If you win, I shall allow you to date with me." Kijuuki's helmet met her glove with a loud smack. Ryu stepped forward.

"No way in hell, Kuno! Kijuuki's MY backrider, she's not racing anyone until her bike is fixed."

"Never will I stand for this! Kijuuki MUST answer my challenge tonight!" Kodachi shoved Tatewaki out of her way. The two siblings started a glaring war.

"Oh, this keeps getting better and better," Kijuuki muttered.

"Don't worry, Akane," Ryu whispered, rubbing her shoulder. "I'll keep you safe."

"ME? Who said anything about ME? In case you haven't noticed, Ranma, this is all about YOU!" Kijuuki hollered.

"Ranma?"

"Did she say Ranma?"

"That can't be. Ranma Saotome?" The whispers shattered the silence that had fallen at Akane's abrupt declaration. The Kunos slowly turned to look at the couple, who both sweatdropped and backed up a step.

"Aw, fuck," muttered Akane.

"Strategic retreat?" Ranma asked.

"Sounds good." The pair turned and leapt onto Ranma's GSRX. Ranma kickstarted the engine while Akane raised one hand, pointing at the Kunos.

"Hear me, crew chiefs! There will be no challenges accepted by the Kijuuki until she is freely mobile again. And then, I'll take all you demented twits on!" Ranma gunned the motor and the pair roared off into the night.

--

"Good morning, Akane!" Kasumi chirped as Akane stumbled downstairs Monday, bag dragging along behind her.

"Mrrf," Akane replied, plopping down on her cushion. She reached blindly for her tea, completely failing to see the gleefully coy expressions her elder sisters were sporting. After downing a cup, she held it out. "More."

"Of course, dear sister!" Nabiki said, refilling the cup. Akane gulped that down too, then blinked, yawned, and turned to her breakfast. Her favorite breakfast, pancakes. Akane took three bites before she realized what was going on.

"Ok, what's the meaning of this?" She asked, summoning a quarter strength glare. Kasumi giggled behind her hand, engagement ring sparkling in the morning light. Nabiki grinned.

"Why, whatever do you mean, little sister?"

"What is so wrong with celebrating your engagement with your favorite breakfast?" Kasumi added. Akane barely avoided a facefault into her pancakes. She glared at Nabiki.

"You…you TOLD HER??"

"Shouldn't keep secrets from the eldest, Akane," Nabiki winked. Akane spluttered.

"Your entire LIFE is about secrets! Kasumi's the one getting married this summer, not ME!"

"I wouldn't mind sharing, Akane. Think how beautiful it would be, two sisters married to the love of their lives, standing in the shrine together!" Kasumi's eyes went heart-shaped. Akane groaned.

"It would be cheaper, too," Nabiki added, grinning evilly. Akane thumped the table, making all the dishes jump and rattle. The older girls started.

"There will be NO double wedding. Kasumi has waited YEARS for Dr. Tofu, I've only been friends with Ranma for a week. Friends! We haven't even had a date yet! So get that idea out of your wedding obsessed heads right now. I'm going to school." Grabbing the pancakes off her plate, Akane stuffed them in her mouth and bolted for the door. The remaining sisters grinned at each other.

"It was so kind of Mrs. Saotome to phone offering to help with both weddings. It's wonderful having two mothers now instead of none, don't you agree, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, sipping her tea. Nabiki took a huge bite of pancakes.

"Yep!" She mumbled through her mouthful, busily calculating how much of her picture money she could safely put towards the wedding preparations.

--

Ranma met Akane halfway to school. She looked dejected, which broke his heart. He tapped her shoulder and when she looked at him, pulled her into a hug. She squeaked in surprise and squirmed.

"Shh. Relax, Akane. You need this," He murmured, gently rubbing her back. With a sigh, she leaned into him and looped her arms around his waist.

"S'not fair," She grumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.

"What's not fair?"

"All of you ganging up on me. Pancakes and hugs. How am I supposed to be angry about this engagement if everyone's so bloody happy about it?" Ranma winced and let her go, crooking her chin up with a finger.

"Did I hurt you that much, Akane?" He asked softly. She smacked him upside the head. "OW!"

"Ranma you idiot! You didn't hurt me! I just…" Her face fell and her shoulders slumped. "You bound yourself to me. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"Um, is this a trick question?" She glared and raised her bookbag. Ranma backed up, waving his hands. "Ok, ok! Not a trick question. I would hope…you would be happy about it too."

"And WHY would I be happy about being engaged without being ASKED first?"

"I would have asked you properly if Utsutsu hadn't snatched you. None of us thought the Pits would move that quickly. Hell, we didn't even know you were being watched until the night you wiped out," Ranma explained. Akane blinked a few times.

"You…would have asked me properly?" She asked, sounding stunned. Ranma rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, um…"

"Ranma," She growled. He sweatdropped, sighed and dropped his hand.

"Yes, Akane. I was planning on asking you to marry me after graduation." He glanced at her. Akane's face was bone white and she was swaying. He leaped over and wrapped his arms around her. "Akane? Akane! Damnit, girl, snap out of it!"

"W…wh…why?" She stammered, eyes huge and dark. Ranma sighed.

"Because I love you, silly. I have for a long time now. That's why I never joined in the Morning Fight. I wanted you to come to me on your own terms, not because of some stupid proclamation by Kuno."

"But…but…I'm not in love with you," She stammered, blushing beet red. Ranma grinned.

"Not yet. You haven't had time to really get to know me. The Pits may have forced my hand, but I'm not going to rush you." He steadied her and stepped back, bowing. "Akane Tendo, would you do me the great honor of dating me?" Akane's mouth worked like a fish. Ranma sighed, then smirked. "If you don't, I'll just have to follow you around until you agree. Oh yes, and I'll beat up the HRD every morning before you get to school."

"But…but that's my favorite part of the day," Akane protested, a faint grin appearing. Ranma shrugged and folded both hands behind his head.

"Until you agree to date me, I won't let you fight anyone," He declared. A bookbag smashed into his face, knocking him on his ass. When the stars cleared, he could see Akane running away.

"Not if I beat you to school!" She shouted over her shoulder.


	10. The Response

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

Akane fumed as her feet pounded the pavement, her steps eerily countered by Ranma's hot pursuit. GAH! GUYS! Ranma loved her? When the hell did that happen? And why had he waited so long to say anything? The more she thought about it, the more her anger grew. By the time the school gates came into view, she was in full battle mode, which was the reason she gave for mowing down a white-flag bearing Hibiki without stopping. In fact, she was a good two meters away before she realized what had happened.

"Hibiki-kun?" She asked, turning to face the flattened Lost Boy chief. Ranma appeared in the gates as Hibiki peeled himself out of the dirt. His white flag, now a forlorn brown bandanna, was thrown at her feet.

"Akane Tendo. In light of your engagement, I hereby relinquish my suit for your hand," He grumbled just loud enough to hear. As jaws dropped around the courtyard, he looked up, pinning a stunned Akane with a fierce glare. "However, if I ever see or hear you saddened, angered, or in pain because of that lowlife Saotome, I swear I will avenge you!"

"Buh?" went Akane

"HEY!" protested Ranma. Hibiki bowed and stalked away. A low rumble echoed over the school as students passed the word around. Akane was engaged to Ranma! Ranma and Akane! Together! As the rumble grew in strength, Akane's fists grew whiter and Ranma began looking for a place to hide.

"What…The…"

"**RANMA SAOTOME**!!" The bellow drowned out both student rumbling and Akane's rapidly spiking aura. Tatewaki appeared out of nowhere, brandishing Polaroid pictures and bearing down on Ranma with all the fury his nickname could produce. Akane's temper was short-circuited by the raw emotion in the upperclassman and she gaped. Ranma simply stood his ground.

"What now, Kuno?" He asked, sounding mildly annoyed. Tatewaki brandished the pictures again.

"This, you lecherous worm. Anything Goes, he calls his crew and his school. Does Kijuuki, that goddess of the streets, know about this?" He thrust the pictures at Ranma. The Guardian's face grew redder with each shot, prompting Akane to dash over and see for herself.

"What…the…fuck?" She whispered. The shots were of her and Ranma getting changed out of their kimonos. While nothing could be seen, per se, the sheer intimacy, and the obvious peeks over each other's shoulders, was blatantly obvious. Akane's aura reached oni-head proportions.

"I am going to KILL HER!!"

"Mongrel! Cur! How dare you two-time Kijuuki like this! Ranma Saotome, for all that is good and right in Nerima, I challenge you!"

"Akane?" Ranma asked. Akane was developing a rather large twitch in her forehead. Her hand shot out and grabbed Ranma's wrist.

"Come on." She dragged Ranma into the school. Kuno was left behind, howling his disappointment at losing both his chance to beat Ranma to a bloody pulp and his very expensive pictures.

--

Akane was very surprised to see how quickly her life fell into a routine after the Pits Encounter, as she called it. School days were spent racing Ranma. Whoever won got to beat Kuno up, as the deranged upperclassman was convinced of Ranma's infidelity and Akane's availability, and continued to challenge the couple on a daily basis. The fact that he was completely incorrect had no bearing on the situation. Logical explanations would not sway him; frustrated shrieking on Akane's part resulted in Kuno trying to pat her head reassuringly. His right hand remained in a cast and the school betting book had 5 to 1 odds for him being permanently maimed.

Weekends were spent equally between wedding preparations, in which Akane tried not to scream at the insanity being demonstrated by three women she otherwise loved and/or respected, and bike shopping. Beaker, poor thing, had been a twisted, burned lump of metal surrounded by fiberglass shrapnel when the police found it. Akane suffered from deep brand loyalty, only another Suzuki GSXR-1000 would do. Not only that, but it had to be yellow. Ranma was her companion on these brief excursions, as her sisters had thrown up their hands and declared her insane after one trip. The irony was vastly amusing to Nodoka and Gin, who spent as much time dropping broad hints about Akane's engagement as they did working on wedding plans.

Sadly, all quiet times must come to an end, not only because conflict builds character and strengthens relationships, but also because it's amusing for both Light and Dark, and they're the ones really in charge.

Akane was looking for Ranma in a bike shop. The salesman had once again been less then helpful after she explained what she wanted and had tried to steer her towards a more "feminine" vehicle, preferably something with four wheels and a lot of air bags. It didn't help that the price of GSXR-1000s had gone up in the last few years. Granted, both Tofu-san and Saotome-san had volunteered to help her get a new bike, but damn it all, she had bought Beaker with her own money and his replacement deserved nothing less. As she wandered into the parts department, she spotted Ranma talking to a tall man with glasses that looked awfully familiar. Ducking into the next aisle, she tiptoed until she was near enough to hear.

"It's your area of expertise, Saotome," The man said. Ranma sighed.

"Look, Mu Tsu. Just because I watch them doesn't mean I police them. Your men walk into the Pits, they take the risk same as anyone else." Mu Tsu! What was Mu Tsu doing sending people into the Pits? Akane wondered. Wasn't Mu Tsu in league with the Yakuza? WHY was he insinuating Ranma needed to do something?

"You're supposed to be guarding!" Mu Tsu hissed, sounding very angry. Akane flinched.

"Look, Mu Tsu, we've been over this before. If someone comes to me asking for safe passage, I'll do it. If the Dark or Light try to rise up, we gather and stop them. Forays into the Pits for your business dealings do not fall under Guardian jurisdiction if your men don't come and ask me first. You know how I…" Ranma's voice broke off as Akane was grabbed from behind. She kicked back, connecting hard with a shin and got a wakizashi against her throat for her efforts.

"This is no place for little girls," A cool voice whispered in her ear. Ranma appeared; arms folded and eyes blazing red.

"Mu Tsu," His voice was icy. "Tell your goon to get his hands off my mate before I break them off." Mu Tsu turned and leaned one arm against the top of the display, peering down at Akane with a knowing smirk.

"Mate? So that's why she fought Xian Pu," Mu Tsu purred. Akane stomped her foot, trying to crush her captor's toes. She missed.

"She challenged me!"

"And you defended your claim, quite well, I might add. Not many can defeat Xian Pu."

"I…that…there wasn't a claim! I just wanted her to stop bugging him!" Akane promptly blushed. Why, oh why, did she keep blurting out her emotional secrets? Ranma smirked, but the fire did not abate.

"Let…her…go." Mu Tsu nodded and the goon let her go. She whirled, foot lashing out in a roundhouse kick that caught the arm putting the wakizashi away. The goon howled, dropping the short sword and clutching his arm. There hadn't been a sickening crunch, so she was pretty sure it wasn't broken. Akane skipped back to Ranma's side, glancing up at Mu Tsu worriedly. The Chinese man was shaking his head.

"You picked a feisty one, Saotome. I suppose that's for the best, given your lifestyle."

"Quit calling me feisty!" Akane shrieked. Mu Tsu cocked his head at them, his face suddenly cold.

"Get my men back and I will forgive this incident. And keep your mate on a better leash. Women have no place in this business." Mu Tsu walked away, his injured goon joining two others Akane hadn't seen that followed in a flanking pattern, keeping the Chinese "businessman" carefully guarded. Akane glanced down. There was no sign of the wakizashi.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from Mu Tsu?" Ranma asked abruptly. Akane looked at him, surprised that the red fire was still there as a low simmer. She put her chin up.

"I was looking for YOU, Ranma. How was I to know this doubled as a Yakuza meeting?"

"Keep your voice down," Ranma hissed, looking around.

"Honestly, Ranma, what else was I supposed to do? Walk over, clutch your arm and say 'Oh, there you are, sweetheart!'?"

"Actually, that would have been better." As Akane spluttered, Ranma gently squeezed her shoulder. The fire had almost died. "Mu Tsu is very traditional. You heard him. If someone's wife or girlfriend shows up unexpectedly, it's much less of an insult to have to make excuses and leave then having said wife or girlfriend nearly break a bodyguard's arm after being caught eavesdropping. Now I have to go into the Pits and find what's left of his men."

"Oh," Akane said, bowing her head. "I'm sorry. I was curious."

"I forgive you, on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You're coming with me. As my future mate, you need to know everything that's involved."


	11. Back to the Pits

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

"Um, Ranma, I really don't know how to use this."

"It's quite simple. The pointy end goes into the opponent."

"Oh, very funny."

"Look, Akane. You don't want to go into hand-to-hand combat with most of what's in the Pits. Trust me."

"I trust you. Do you trust me not to stab you in the back accidentally?"

"Or accidentally on purpose?"

"Hey!" Ranma snickered. The couple was once again in the alleyway behind the Saotome house, wearing kimonos. Akane's was yellow, Ranma's was red. The black dragons covered their bodies protectively, with fireballs clutched in the paws. Akane's dragon's head faced to her left, Ranma's faced towards his right. The effect of them standing side by side meant the dragons either looked at each other or guarded each other's backs. As this was not a Test recovery mission, Ranma had given the shorter katana to Akane.

"Are you ready?"

"I sure hope this bond thing works both ways."

"If it doesn't, I have an idea to make it work."

"Why didn't you mention it before?" Akane shrieked, flinging up her hands in frustration. A large mallet appeared out of nowhere, nestling into her palms. Akane clutched it reflexively, blinking up in surprise.

"Ranma?" She asked, looking back at him, mallet poised over her head. Ranma was deathly pale and slowly inching away from her. "What…just happened?"

"You…you summoned Mallet-sama. I've heard of this happening with wives of Guardians, but I…I've never seen it before. Mom can't do it, she's tried."

"So, this is a Guardian thing?"

"This is a Guardian mate thing. A Guardian Wife thing, and only certain wives can do it. You…you've got serious talent, Akane."

"Talent? What are you talking about?" Ranma blinked a few times, color slowly returning to his cheeks. He shook his head.

"We don't have time for the full explanation right now. Give me the sword."

"Okay…" Akane put the mallet down and pulled the katana out of her sash. Ranma took the blade and slid it under his own. "What do I do with the mallet?"

"Keep it out until we get back. It's a much better weapon for you, believe me." Ranma turned and gestured, muttering something. A large metal door appeared. Akane blinked at it, then looked at the mallet resting against her leg. She wrapped her fingers around the handle.

"How am I supposed to carry you?" She whispered, feeling more then a little freaked out. The mallet obligingly shrunk in her hand until it was about the size of a claw hammer. Akane blinked again. It seemed the only proper response.

"Are you ready?" Ranma asked, looking over his shoulder. The door was open, revealing darkness complete with thin wisps of fog curling along the edge. Akane shoved the mallet into her sash.

"As I'll ever be." She took his hand and they walked into The Pits.

--

Guardians have a surprisingly normal relationship with the denizens of their respective realms. In a way, Guardians are like private detectives with a side business as bodyguards. They investigate suspicious activities, track down victims when requested and provide escort services as needed. Most of the time, it's a watch and wait game.

As any good detective, Ranma had his share of informants, trackers and Beings In The Know. For mob-related incidents, there was only one to go to, Sanshouuo. Sanshouuo, or Sani, as it liked to be called, found human crime fascinating, especially organized crime. Wherever the Yakuza or Chinese Mafia brushed against the Pits, Sani was there; watching, learning. It knew the intricate details of who was who and what rivalries were hot and cold. In short, Sani was the best.

Ranma hid his smirk as he introduced Akane. His future mate was incredibly brave, she didn't even flinch as the giant red and orange salamander wearing a thin black necktie and white suit jacket bowed gravely. One hand clutching her mallet, she bowed back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sanshouuo-sama."

"Please, Kijuuki-chan, call me Sani-kun. It tickles me to hear my name said thusly by a pretty female," Sani said in his sibilant voice. Like all salamanders, he tended to be soft spoken with distinct hissing.

"Sani-kun."

"So, Ryu-kun," Sani chuckled quietly at the nickname. "What brings you to me?"

"We're looking for two Chinese men." Ranma said.

"Ah, Chinese. Mafia, yes?"

"Yes."

"Mmmm. Chinese Mafia. I like Chinese. Very tasty, they are. A very different flavor then the Yakuza," Sani sat back on his tail, forepaws drumming against each other. "What kind of Chinese? Mongol? Han?"

"They're from Hong Kong," Ranma offered, glancing at Akane. She was a little pale, but otherwise seemed to be okay.

"Ah, Cantonese. Sweet, they are, almost flowery. A lighter taste then the Mongol, who are rich and faintly smoky, but I prefer the Sichuan. They have a kick to them, most pleasant." Akane made a slight squeaking noise that she covered with a cough.

"I'm sorry. Something in my throat," She explained when Ranma and Sani looked at her. Sani chuckled.

"A little horror, no doubt," Sani purred. Akane flushed and the salamander laughed. "Fear not, Kijuuki-chan. I take no offense. We are what we are, you a human and a Dragon's Mate. I am a salamander, a carnivore. We cannot help our natures." It turned to Ranma, muzzle drooping slightly.

"I regret to inform you, Guardian, that the two you seek have been taken and not by me. The Ubo have been restless since some of their young were caught and taken to a university for study. The remains were found last week. There was…much anger."

"Which young?" Ranma asked, one hand clutching his katana as cold dread poured down his spine. The Ubo were new to Japan, a race of vampires that turned into tiny white butterflies. No one knew where they came from; current speculation was that they were a mutation of the firefly vampires known as Adzes seeking fresh feeding grounds. Japan was one of the few countries that did not have native vampire myths, so it was a logical choice for a new species.

"The fledglings of the Aisu clan. The patriarch howled his rage for all the Pits to hear. Rumor says he blames himself for choosing younger humans in the first place. The Chinese you seek were older, wiser, devious. A better match, if they could be Turned."

"How long did Mu Tsu say they were missing?" Akane asked, fingering her mallet. Ranma glanced at her, pride kicking dread squarely in the backside.

"Three days. I don't know much about the Ubo, they're a recent addition to the Dark. Research is working on it. If they're anything like the Adze, though, they wouldn't be using adults. Adze only preys on children."

"Preys, yes. Breeds, no," Sani said. "Turning children is taboo in all vampire cultures. Only the deranged do so, and Aisu-sama is not deranged. He is calculating, logical. The young adults were too reckless; they let themselves be caught in nets like stupid insects. Better to choose more experienced men. As for Turning, I do not know how long."

"We'd better find this Aisu-sama quickly then," Ranma said, eyes starting to simmer. "Where do we look?"

"I will take you, Ryu-kun. Aisu-sama is a traditionalist. He requires…proper introduction."


	12. Ubo and Chinese

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Ubo are borrowed from NightLife, the urban horror RPG (which I shall play, I swear!) A loving shout-out goes to Vathara for "Witchy Woman", which provided the inspiration for Aisu-san and for writing those brilliant crossovers "Blades of Blood" and "Witchy Woman", which inspired me to find NightLife in the first place. (checks) Yeah, I'm done.

--

Aisu was a typical vampire in looks; pale skin and compelling eyes. He had been Japanese in his previous life and a student of Japanese history. The Edo period was his favorite, as romanticized as it was by popular culture. Something about being a shogun, with an army of family for him to guard and to use, the sense of clan, appealed greatly to him. After being Turned in New York City, he took it upon himself to find like-minded Ubo and create his own clan. They were still small, especially for the Pits, and the loss of three young vampires to over-eager etymologists was a harsh blow he hadn't recovered from, though he kept that from his remaining clan and the minor demons that had attached themselves for protection. The shogun did not show weakness.

This philosophy kept his face impassive when his lieutenant brought word that Sani-kun had appeared with the new Guardian and his Mate seeking an audience. He had been expecting a visit, but not this soon. Considering the honor he was receiving from the Guardian, he did not make them wait, but had them escorted in as soon as the message was finished.

"Welcome, Guardian, Mate, Sani-kun. Please be at ease in my house and accept my meager hospitality," He said, rising and bowing when his guests were ushered in. Sani-kun and the Black Dragon bowed, the Mate a second behind.

"We thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Aisu-san," The Dragon replied, meeting the vampire's eyes squarely. Aisu could see the fire that marked the Saotome clan glowing, carefully banked. There would be no compulsion on this young man, nor on his mate, who was looking around with a fascinated air.

"Perhaps, your Mate would like to join my women? She would find it more comfortable," He offered. The Mate's head snapped to him, anger apparent.

"With all due respect, I'm not going anywhere," She declared. Aisu glanced at the Dragon, who gave a slight shrug.

"My Mate is still new to the Pits, Aisu-san. She must learn how these things are done, so for this, I beg your indulgence."

"So this is not just a social call," Aisu wondered if he should be insulted. Then again, a Mate should be trained in a controlled setting. The vampire decided he was still being honored, in a minor way, and let it go. "Then, please, be seated and refresh yourselves." He led the trio to a series of cushions. As they sat down, women with extremely long necks arrived bearing trays of food and cups. Aisu prepared the tea and poured. The Mate looked at her tray suspiciously.

"It's ok, Kijuuki," The Dragon whispered. Aisu refrained from showing amusement at her trepidation. Sani-kun giggled.

"Aisu-sama is not the type to serve guests with traces of vampire blood unless said guests requested it. You're safe, Kijuuki-chan." Kijuuki glanced at Aisu and bowed.

"I apologize for my rudeness."

"From what I understand of the ritual, your hesitation is understandable. There is no offense taken." The conversation fell into the ritualized give and take of an impromptu tea ceremony until everyone had finished their tea. Kijuuki ate very little, the Dragon and Sani-kun cleaned their trays. Aisu again wrestled with the feeling of insult. It could be something as simple as Kijuuki watching her weight. He remembered other human females doing that. Still, it didn't seem quite right.

"It is admirable, Ryu-san, that you bring your Mate on such visits. Your mother has not graced the Pits with her presence since her Choosing," Aisu offered, curious to see what else the Guardian had in mind for his Mate. Ryu grinned at Kijuuki.

"Kijuuki is not the type to sit home and tend the gardens. It is best she see how things are between the Pits and the In-Between, lest she is called to assist without adequate preparation. In fact," Ryu turned to Aisu. "This is the primary reason we are here, Aisu-san."

"Business? With me? I lead a very small clan, Ryu-san. We cannot be important enough to garner your attention."

"Two Chinese Mafia from Hong Kong disappeared three days ago into the Pits. They were conducting their own business when they were taken. Their leader came to me and demanded their return."

"Mu Tsu commands an army ten times the size of mine," Aisu retorted.

"That does not make the loss of two any less," Kijuuki said, garnering everyone's attention. She gazed calmly back.

"The Mate speaks truth, Aisu-sama. Why would Mu Tsu feel any differently then yourself?" Sani-kun asked. Aisu gave in to a glare directed at the salamander, which swished its tail.

"A true leader feels the loss of any beneath him, Aisu-san. Mu Tsu may be a lot of things neither of us agree with, but he is, at heart, a true leader," Ryu added. His voice became cold. "He will declare war on the Pits if I do not return with something. That, Aisu-san, I cannot allow."

"Nor can I, Guardian," Aisu sighed. "The men you seek are here." He glanced sideways and nodded. A door opened, revealing the missing Cantonese. One of them was as pale as the rest of the residents, new fangs gleaming in the light. The other was shivering and soaked in sweat.

"What's wrong with him?" Kijuuki asked, rising. Ryu's hand on her arm stopped her.

"As you can see, Li Ho has already joined my clan. He will be given a new name very soon. His companion, though, refused. He was taken with fever yesterday." Aisu spread his hands and shrugged. "We do not know how to treat it."

"You will release him to us?" Ryu asked; hand firmly clamped around Kijuuki's arm. She was leaning away, clearly trying to break free. Aisu suppressed his amusement. The Guardian's Mate was a strong-willed creature indeed.

"He does not wish to join my clan. I will not force the issue. He is yours." Ryu released Kijuuki, who leaped over to the shaking Cantonese. Li Ho looked at her and licked his lips.

"Hello, pretty girl," He said softly in Chinese. The Mate ignored him, reaching for his companion. As their hands met, Li Ho hissed and snatched his former comrade, gathering him into his arms. Kijuuki's jaw fell open. Li Ho leaped into the room, scrambling for a corner. Everyone turned and watched as he clutched the human, stroking his head.

"Mine. Mine to drink. You're not a pretty girl, you're a Mate. Go get your own." The human moaned and fainted. Aisu rose to his feet as Kijuuki pulled something from her sash.

"Li Ho, let him go. He does not want to be Turned. We are not savages, we are the Aisu Ubo." Aisu said softly. Kijuuki raised her arm, a giant mallet appearing in her hand.

"Let him go, Li Ho. He does not belong to you." Ryu appeared beside his Mate, hand on sword hilt.

"Do not let Aisu-san lose another fledgling to stupidity, Li Ho," The Dragon added. Aisu spared him a glare as he moved to join them. Faced with his Shogun and two very powerful, very determined Dragons, Li Ho whimpered and released his captive. Ryu swept in and scooped the unconscious man into his arms. Aisu walked over and helped Li Ho to his feet.

"There is no shame in letting him go, Li Ho. You have made me proud." Li Ho shook off Aisu's hands and lunged at Kijuuki, hissing vile names. Ryu dropped his burden as the giant mallet swung down, catching Li Ho across the ribs and sending him through the wall on the opposite side of the room. Everyone blinked at Kijuuki, who propped the mallet on her shoulder and nodded to Aisu.

"I apologize for the damage to your wall, Aisu-san."

"You…apologize."

"Well, I can't pay for it if you guys don't have money. And I'm not stupid enough to volunteer for anything without knowing exactly what I'm getting into. So unless you have a suggestion I can actually agree to, all I can give you is an apology," Kijuuki explained. Ryu sighed heavily and picked up the Cantonese.

"Please accept my apologies as well, Aisu-san," He said. Aisu looked from the hole, where Li Ho could be seen picking himself up, to the Dragon cradling his failure, to the Mate, who returned his gaze expectantly.

"I would stay away from white butterflies from now on, Kijuuki-san," He finally said. Kijuuki's eyes widened and she nodded. He looked at the Guardian. "Please go."

"We're gone." The couple left quickly. Sani-kun scuttled over, rising on its hind legs.

"So, what do you think?"

"I think I have been honored and insulted so many times I do not know how the scales weigh out anymore. The Aisu Ubo will keep a low profile until the next Guardian is declared." Sani-kun laughed.

"I think that went fairly well," Akane said. Ranma shot her a look over the knees of the Cantonese he was carrying. The couple was hurrying through the Pits to Mu Tsu's rendezvous, a downtown alley. "What?"

"'Fairly well'? Akane, you clubbed a new vampire through a wall!"

"He was about to attack me!"

"I would have made it in time."

"In time for what? Stab him in the back as I'm being bitten?"

"He wouldn't have gotten that far."

"Says you!"

"YES! SAYS ME!" Ranma shouted, suddenly wishing they weren't on a schedule so he could shake some sense into his mate. Akane tossed her head.

"I'm not that kind of girl, Ranma. You knew that already. If this Guardian business means I have to stand like a helpless bimbo while you jump to the rescue every time I'm being threatened, then we have a serious problem."

"You weren't having much luck with Mu Tsu's bodyguard."

"I didn't have Mallet-sama for that!" Akane patted her hammer, back to carrying size. Ranma winced. This was not good.

"When we're done with Mu Tsu, we are having a serious talk."

"Good. It's about damn time."

Ranma and Akane arrived at the rendezvous point in the middle of the night. Mu Tsu was leaning against his Trueno, parked under a streetlight. One bodyguard was on the other side of the car. Ranma could sense three other guards ranged around the shadows that spilled out of the alley. Akane's eyes darted back and forth and she moved closer.

"I should hang back, shouldn't I?" She whispered. Ranma nodded.

"Yeah, you should. Over there," He gestured with his head to a patch of shadow against the wall on the right. "There's nothing in there, but you can keep an eye on almost everyone. There's another guard right around the corner."

"Right." Akane darted into the shadows, nearly disappearing. Only the fireballs on her kimono showed, glowing faintly yellow. Ranma nodded, pleased, and stepped out of the alley. He walked over to Mu Tsu and laid the unconscious Cantonese at his feet.

"What. Happened." Mu Tsu bit out. Ranma stepped back, tucking his hands into his sleeves.

"Ubo. The other accepted their terms. He will not be returning. This one is sick. He needs to go to a hospital." Mu Tsu snapped his fingers. The guard behind joined one from the left, picking up the sick man and carrying him to a Mazda RX-7 parked nearby. Ranma kept his attention on Mu Tsu. The Mafia leader was furious.

"Where is Li Ho?"

"Li Ho no longer exists. He's a creature of the Pits now. You have to let him go."

"How can he be dead and living?" Mu Tsu snarled, holding his arms slightly away from his body. Ranma took another step back, hands moving to his katana.

"He's a vampire! A bloodsucking monster! There's nothing human left in him, Mu Tsu!" Ranma snapped back, flames leaping in his eyes. Mu Tsu growled.

"I don't believe you!" A metal claw on a chain flew out of the Chinese's right sleeve. Ranma's katana sang as he drew it, knocking the claw aside and half-severing the chain. The disabled weapon disappeared back up the sleeve.

"Believe it, Mu Tsu," Ranma said, adjusting his stance. "He wanted to eat the one I brought back."

"Liar!" A barrage of daggers flew out of both sleeves. Ranma leaped up and back, dodging the missiles. They flew straight down the alley and disappeared. The yellow fireballs were still glowing, well out of range. Ranma landed at the alley mouth.

"I don't lie. You know that," He growled. "My job is done. You have the man that survived. I will ignore this insult as you are grieving. Attack me again, Mu Tsu, or call me any name other then my own, and we will be enemies. Good night." Ranma stepped into the shadows concealing Akane. She had Mallet-sama out and ready, glaring at Mu Tsu.

"They deserve each other!" She declared. Ranma chuckled and sheathed his katana.

"Yes, I suppose they do. Come on. Let's go home."


	13. The Romance

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

Wow, over 50 reviews. This is the most I've ever gotten. You guys are just wonderful! Have another bath scene. Yay!

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

"We're back!" Ranma called as they entered the house. A low rumble was the only warning before Akane was swept away by two very angry, very worried older sisters. Ranma was left in the kitchen, blinking in surprise.

"Akane! Where have you BEEN!?" Nabiki cried. Ranma walked through the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. Kasumi was holding Akane by the shoulders while Nabiki checked her for injuries.

"Do you have any idea what day it is, Akane?" Kasumi asked.

"Um, Sunday?"

"Try Thursday!"

"Huh?"

"You've been gone for four days, Akane. We told the school you were sick when you didn't come home Sunday night," Nabiki stood, frowning at her hands. "She's not hurt, but WHAT have you been in? You're filthy!"

"Didn't Mom or Pops tell you?" Ranma asked, joining the girls. Kasumi and Nabiki turned twin glares at him. Akane looked baffled.

"All THEY said was it was Guardian business and shouldn't take long," Kasumi snapped, letting Akane go. She also frowned at her hands. "Good heavens, Akane! Did you get caught in a dust storm?"

"This is all perfectly normal, Kasumi, Nabiki," Ranma assured them, taking Akane's hand and pulling her to his side. For once, she didn't resist. "The Pits is a Dark place. They're not known for cleanliness." Ranma led Akane to the stairs.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going!" Kasumi chased after them, Nabiki hot on her heels. Ranma paused at the foot of the stairs.

"The last four days haven't been a picnic for us either, nii-chans. We're going to get clean and then I'm going to make sure Akane eats a good meal. She hardly ate anything at Aisu-san's."

"Like I'm going to eat Pit food again," Akane muttered. Kasumi's mouth fell open. Nabiki blinked a few times.

"We'll be down shortly. If you really want to help, Kasumi, there should be ingredients for curry in the kitchen. Mom won't mind." Ranma and Akane disappeared up the stairs. Kasumi made to follow, only to be pulled back by Nabiki. The middle Tendo sister had a familiar gleam in her eyes.

"Why are you stopping me? They're going to the furo. Together!"

"Yes, and the results will bring in another fifty thousand yen." Kasumi's eyes widened.

"Oh. Well, in that case, come help me in the kitchen."

"With pleasure, Nii-chan." The elder Tendos strolled into the Saotome kitchen.

--

There's no _good_ place to have a difficult conversation. One can try a neutral setting, preferably someplace public with multiple exits just in case, or one can take control by having said conversation in a private place, with no exits and bodyguards/friends/family members to keep the situation to a minimum amount of tension.

Why, then, Akane wondered, did the Guardian-related conversations always seem to happen in the Saotome furo? She watched, not a little dazed and confused, as Ranma turned his back and began stripping. Was it because the cleansing rituals invoked a sense of peace and well being? Or did Ranma have some kind of water fetish? What would a water fetish involve, anyway?

"Akane?" Ranma's voice broke her out of her musings. She started and blushed tomato red when she saw he was already down to his boxers. Yes, she knew he wore them, thanks to the last furo discussion, which reminded her of the glimpse of what was under the boxers, thanks to her knocking him into the water and that made her squeak and spin around to face the door.

"Akane?" He asked again. She jumped when his hands closed over her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Where do I start?" She shot back, hunching her shoulders. Ranma did not let go, rather, he started gently massaging.

"Where you feel most comfortable, of course," He said. She could hear the cocky grin in his voice and sighed. Almost without realizing, she leaned back against him. He wrapped one arm around her waist and rested his cheek against her hair, not pushing, simply offering comfort. Exactly what she needed. How did he do that?

"What did you mean by talent?" She asked, deciding it was safer then "Why shouldn't I defend myself?" or "Why are we having this conversation here?"

"Magical talent. It's like being good at sports or academics. Some people are born with a lot, others not so much. Like any talent, it has to be developed; through study and practice."

"Then how come I wasn't seeing shimmers or pulling stuff out of thin air before?" Ranma tapped her forehead with his free hand. The skin where Ranma's blood had soaked in buzzed under his touch.

"A great musician will never know if they don't pick up the right instrument. You weren't exposed to magic until now. Some things, like being able to see spells, would have developed eventually as I showed you. Since you're my Chosen," He gently squeezed her waist and nuzzled her hair, causing delicious tingles to race through her. "The blood bond jump-started your natural ability. It was like being given a year of basic lessons in five minutes, which is rare."

"You said Nodoka-san can't summon Mallet-sama."

"Right. She can't. It takes a lot of magical talent to call on the Mate Weapons. Mom can sense wards and spells, but she can't actually _see_ them. You're much stronger, Akane, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

"Why?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. Ranma moved his head so his lips were right next to her ear. She tingled again at his breath tickling her skin.

"Because it means you'll be able to handle anything the Pits throw at you. I'm _glad_ you can defend yourself, Akane. A Guardian needs a strong Mate, someone who will stand beside and fight if need be, not cower behind the family walls and pray everything goes right," He whispered and gently nipped her earlobe. She shrieked and threw herself backward, toppling them both to the floor. Akane scrambled to her feet, clutching her kimono and panting. Ranma stayed on the floor, blinking at the ceiling.

"Should I have asked first?" He said, brows furrowing. Akane blushed.

"I…um…that is…YES!" She stomped her foot. Ranma tucked his hands behind his head and looked up at her.

"You do realize that I am going to kiss you, right?"

"Um…"

"And that eventually, after we're married, that kissing is going to lead to mating?"

"M…ma…mating?" Akane squeaked, feeling hot and bothered and wondering how a conversation about magic had turned into an intimate discussion about, well, _intimacies_.

"You're adorable when you blush and stammer, you know that?"

"I…that…HEY!" Akane recovered enough to aim a kick at Ranma's ribs, which he dodged by rolling away and jumping to his feet. Akane gasped at the blue fire shining in his eyes.

"What?" He asked, cocking his head. She raised a slightly trembling finger, her other hand still clutching her kimono.

"Your eyes…blue…fire…WHY?" She blinked and Ranma was right in front of her, both arms firmly wrapped around her waist so that she was flush against him. This triggered a much stronger wave of delicious tingles.

"Oh, I think you know why, Kijuuki-oshii," He whispered and kissed her. After a second of frozen surprise, Akane whimpered and twined her arms around his neck, kissing him back with all the feistiness she possessed. Beside them, a tiny click immortalized the moment.

--

One would have thought that the transformation of Ranma and Akane from an "engaged under extreme duress" pair to "so lovey-dovey it causes cavities in passers-by" couple would have settled the Morning Fight once and for all. They walked to school together with interlaced fingers. Ranma would kiss Akane goodbye at her classroom door, and she would kiss him hello when she went to fetch him for lunch. On the streets they rode on Ranma's bike, where Akane's hands tended to wander across his chest. This led to several near-misses with members from every crew, who sighed dreamily, laughed hysterically or swore fluently, depending on the person involved.

Yes, all evidence clearly pointed out that Ranma and Akane were completely happy as an engaged couple.

None of this deterred Tatewaki Kuno. Even the picture of the passionate smooching session, obtained for the phenomenal price of seventy-five thousand yen, did nothing to convince him that Ranma and Akane actually liked each other. Ranma was a two-timing reprobate, no doubt resorting to drugs, intimidation or perhaps some strange hypnosis to keep Akane chained to his side. Akane obviously didn't realize Ranma's fiendish deviousness, so it was up to him, Tatewaki, kendo captain and Chief of the Blue Thunder crew to prove his point, pummel Ranma into the Underworld and break the devilish spell.

Yes, Tatewaki was absolutely convinced Ranma was pure evil, possibly a full blooded demon. Akane had been out for three days, and Akane Tendo NEVER missed school. No mere flu would keep the lovely Akane away from class. There had to be foul play afoot and he knew exactly who to ask for help proving it.

"Brother dearest, explain to me again why we are doing this?" Kodachi asked as the siblings staked out the school gates from the top of the wall, watching for the happy couple.

"Because! That fiend Saotome has the lovely Akane in his clutches and I must break her free!"

"What about Kijuuki?" She asked snarkily. Despite everyone's best efforts, no one could convince Tatewaki that Kijuuki and Akane was the same person. Kijuuki's mocking refusal to cooperate and show Tatewaki the truth until she was racing-ready was an additional thorn in Kodachi's side.

"Kijuuki will be free once she has her bike and we race," Tatewaki explained, peering through his spy glasses. Kodachi sat back, folded her arms and sulked. Tatewaki leaped to his feet, unbroken fingers tightening around the glasses.

"Aha! I have you now, Ranma Saotome! Get ready, dear sister," Tatewaki flattened himself along the top of the wall. Kodachi remained as she was, dangling one leg over the edge and swinging her foot back and forth. She twirled a black rose in her fingers and watched the happy couple approach. Akane was snuggled up to Ranma's side. Both Kunos growled at the sight, but for different reasons. When they were about a meter away, Kodachi sprang to her feet.

"Take that, you brazen hussy!" She cried and threw the rose. It exploded over Ranma and Akane's heads, covering them in a sparkling purple powder. The two sneezed several times.

"K…Achoo! Kodachi? What the hell?" Akane asked, wiping her eyes. Kodachi was laughing her head off. Tatewaki leaped to his feet, striking what he thought was a terrifying pose. From a meter and a half below, Ranma thought Tatewaki had hurt himself.

"Fear not, sweet Akane! My clever sister has freed you from the vile curse Saotome has laid upon you," Tatewaki declared. He jumped to the sidewalk and held out his hand. "Come, dearest. Leave that cursed fiend who has ensnared you. I shall protect you and allow you to date with me." Ranma and Akane blinked at him, sweatdrops slowly appearing on their heads.

"What are you talking about, Kuno?" Ranma asked. Tatewaki frowned when he realized they were STILL holding hands.

"It's simple!" Kodachi jumped down to join her brother. "I have covered you in my special anti-love dust. It renders any and all love spells inert! You are free to explore your own feelings, without artificial incentives!" Ranma smirked. Akane glanced at him.

"Do me a favor and NEVER call me dearest, ok, Ranma?"

"I promise, Akane." Ranma caught the back of her neck with his free hand and pulled her close for a kiss. Akane mewled in satisfaction, wrapping her ankle around his. Kodachi and Tatewaki's jaws dropped with resounding thunks. Once Ranma and Akane came up for air, they winked at each other and resumed their walk to school, carefully stepping around the frozen siblings.

"We should probably wash off this funky glitter before we go to class," Ranma called over his shoulder. Akane giggled.

"Good idea. I'll wash your back, Ranma."

"Only if I get to wash yours too." They went through the gates. Kodachi slowly collapsed on the sidewalk. Tatewaki developed a rather large tick in his forehead.

"That…THAT _**FIEND**_!!" He turned on Kodachi, using his spyglasses to smack her upside the head. Kodachi sprawled on the sidewalk for a moment, blinking the stars out of her eyes. A low growl echoed as she pushed herself to her feet.

"What…was…that?" She snarled. Tatewaki brandished the glasses at her.

"You SWORE that would work, Kodachi! Akane was supposed to be free! Now they're going to wash each other's BACKS! The thought, the very image of that despicable Saotome touching Akane's bare skin…" Tatewaki fell to his knees, twitching all over and glaring at his hands, X-rated pictures dancing through his mind of Ranma and Akane in the shower together. He started growling, only to be picked up and flung across the street by his sister's gymnastic ribbon. He smashed into a wall and stuck.

"It DID work. For a few seconds they were both confused, I could see it. It must have been because they were touching. I'll make a stronger batch and we'll hit them separately. Yes, that is what I will do. Fear not, brother of mine! We will get our heart's desire before graduation! OH-HOHOHOHOHO!" Kodachi jumped over the wall, only to come roaring through the gates on her Honda. Tatewaki waited until she was out of hearing range before falling to the sidewalk.


	14. The Trap

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

"Has Kuno always been like this?" Ranma asked as he and Akane walked home that afternoon. Akane shrugged, swinging her book bag absently.

"I don't know about always, but since we all started high school, pretty much. You weren't here for the How To Date Akane Speech, but you saw the result."

"Yeah," Ranma rolled his eyes, silently thanking the Powers That Be that the Morning Fight had been downgraded to one lunatic that was easy to beat. He glanced at Akane, admiring the afternoon sunlight glinting in her hair and wondering how he had gotten so lucky. Thanks to a twinge in the pit of his stomach, he insisted on escorting Akane all the way home, rather then splitting off where their respective streets met. Akane gave him a suspicious look.

"Is this a Guardian thing?" She asked.

"Not…exactly. More like a bond feeling," He explained, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand, which, coincidentally, also held his backpack. His textbooks thumped against his shoulder blades.

"So what do I have to do to get the bond going both ways?"

"We should probably test it first, see if it does or not. I'd hate to put you through a ritual you didn't need to. Guardian rituals can be…difficult."

"More or less difficult then the cleansing rituals we keep doing together?" Akane asked as they neared her house. A strange growl was suddenly stifled. Ranma and Akane looked around, moving closer and shifting so they were almost back to back. Ranma wondered again at how easily they worked together, almost instinctively. The noise did not repeat itself, so Ranma shooed Akane through the gate.

"More, if you can believe that," He grinned, leaning over the gate to kiss her goodbye. She sighed happily as they broke contact.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a great kisser?" She asked. A long purple ribbon snaked out from a set of bushes and lassoed Akane, yanking her back several feet.

"Not AGAIN!" Akane shrieked.

"AKANE!" Ranma cleared the gate, only to be caught from behind with a bokken against his throat. The two struggled against their captors.

"You insidious FIEND! What black magic do you possess to keep the virtuous Akane chained to your side?" Kuno snarled in Ranma's ear, using the bokken to choke him. Ranma planted his feet and grabbed the bokken on either side of his head. Across the yard, Kodachi laughed delightedly as she shoved a dozen black roses into Akane's face. The youngest Tendo sneezed vociferously and passed out. Ranma snarled, his eyes blazing deep red as he shoved against the bokken. It broke in three pieces and went flying out of Tatewaki's hands. Ranma followed up with elbow strikes to the diaphragm, sending Tatewaki to his knees. Ranma raced to his mate. Kodachi intercepted him with another dozen roses that exploded in his face. He also sneezed his head off before everything went black.

--

For the record, the Kunos are one of the wealthiest families in Nerima. As such, they have a good sized mansion in the best part of town, surrounded by gardens that no right minded gardener will go near. Kodachi Kuno tended the gardens, along with her alligator. Kodachi is a chemist with a deep and abiding passion for all things poisonous and floral. As such, her gardens are beautiful death traps and she uses the plants for various potions and powders. The effectiveness of her concoctions varies dramatically, but she has perfected a powerful sleeping powder, which is why Akane and Ranma were currently sound asleep in the mansion, in adjoining rooms that were decorated with an eye towards seduction. A Kuno's idea of seduction, sadly, leaves much to be desired.

Ranma held still as he slowly came back to consciousness. All of his instincts were screaming to be quiet, stay limp, so he did, registering each new sensation.

_Wall. Bands around my wrists, feels like…metal. Soft under feet, carpet? Not tatami. Can't move my arms, must be chained. Ok, where am I and why am I chained up?_

"Awake, yet, my darling?" Kodachi's voice grated on his ears. Ranma kept his eyes closed, his body somewhat limp, though he did brace his feet against the floor. Yep, carpet, pretty thick, too. A nail pricked him under the chin, tilted his head up.

"I know you're awake, Ranma. Come on, open those pretty blue eyes," Kodachi crooned. Ranma hesitated. He couldn't sense Akane. He couldn't _sense_ Akane! His temper flared and his eyes snapped open, dark red flames leaping in the irises. Kodachi made a funny squeaking noise and she skipped back a few steps. Ranma quickly glanced about the room. Bed, a large four poster with what looked like shackles hanging from the posts. Kodachi, wearing a red corset and skirt combo with fishnet stockings and high heels. A large horse vault, also bedecked in shackles. Bare walls with various chains and manacles and instruments of restraint. Ranma looked back at Kodachi with his mouth hanging open.

"What kind of sick freak are you, anyway?" He spluttered. Kodachi frowned, tapping a riding crop against her leg.

"That is not the way you talk to your Mistress, Ranma."

"I'll live in the Pits before I call you _that_, you sadistic, perverted cow. Where's Akane?"

"Now, Ranma, that's not how…"

"WHERE'S AKANE??" Ranma bellowed. Kodachi, who had been approaching while waving her whip in a scolding manner, promptly squeaked again and skipped back almost to the door. Ranma's eyes darted around the room. No windows, only one door, and from the feel of his hands, he had been chained for more then fifteen minutes. This was SO not good! He couldn't use his hands, they were numb. Maybe his wrists?

"Ranma?" Came faintly echoing in the room, along with the flare of angry ki that could only be Akane in a full temper. Ranma breathed a silent sigh of relief. She was alive. Alive and furious. Another faint echo, sounding suspiciously like a cry of pain, was followed by strange music. Kodachi stomped over to a nightstand and grabbed the cell phone.

"What?" She snarled. Ranma kept one ear tuned to her conversation while the rest of his mind focused on getting free.

"Yes, he is. What? Tatewaki, I can't hear you if you don't speak…what? You incompetent, why didn't you chain her up?" Ranma growled at that, summoning his fire. The bands holding his wrists developed a thin line of red along the middle. Kodachi pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I can't help you, Tatewaki. I have my own reluctant suitor to seduce. Good bye." She hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed. "Ungrateful fool, can't be bothered to take direction. All he had to do was chain her and she would have been…" She turned around and her mutterings died in her throat. Ranma glared at her, eyes completely red with his fury, the bands holding his arms also glowing a faint red. He braced his elbows against the wall and shoved forward. The metal flexed outward and he pulled free, shaking his hands to restore the circulation. Kodachi remained speechless, mouth hanging open almost to her knees. Ranma growled low in his throat and advanced on the stunned wanna-be dominatrix.

"There's a reason I wear the dragon, Kodachi. You have one chance to answer my question. Fail me and you will learn the reason first hand. Where. Is. Akane?"

--

Akane did not possess the refined battle instincts of a Guardian's Mate, but she did have enough martial arts training to realize something was horribly wrong as she came to. For one, she was lying on a squishy softness, there was funny music playing and strange incense tickled her nose. Obviously not her room, or anywhere in her house. Since the last thing she remembered was Kodachi shoving a bunch of roses in her face, she figured the Kunos had spirited her away. Where that was, and what happened to Ranma, needed to be found out. Akane slowly blinked her eyes open and glanced around. She was lying on a large pillow, one of a pile in a corner of a room that looked to be covered in red velvet. The pillows were red and pink and white and cream and reminded her of an upended box of candy. There were also red curtains along the far wall, and Tatewaki lounging on a red Western-style couch. The kendo captain was wearing a dark blue yukata that looked completely out of place and rather disturbing.

"Welcome back, lovely Akane," He said in a strange, soft voice. Akane couldn't tell if he was trying to be sexy or had a frog somewhere in his throat. Either way, it didn't look good.

"Kuno, where am I?" She asked, keeping her voice calm, even though she really wanted to scream. Maybe she could talk her way out of this?

"Why, you're home, Akane. Home where you belong, in our boudoir of love," That made cold shivers go down her spine. At least this time she was dealing with a human opponent she'd beaten many times before. She slowly pushed herself up, keeping one hand on the pillow. It wasn't Mallet-sama, but it would do.

"This is not my home and we both know that."

"Akane, dearest," Tatewaki protested, getting to his feet. Akane leaped to hers and almost fell when she landed on slippery pillows. Using the one she was clutching for balance, she regained her footing and glared at her insane classmate.

"I am not, nor will I ever be, your dearest! Stop calling me that!" She hissed, raising the pillow threateningly. Tatewaki frowned, fishing in his yukata.

"You're behaving very strangely, dearest. Did Kodachi not get the dosage right?" Akane growled and swung, the pillow thumping softly against Tatewaki's chest. He grabbed it and yanked it out of her hands, the frown becoming a scowl. He held a cell phone in the other hand.

"Where's Akane?" They both blinked at what must have been a thunderous shout, considering the muffled echo currently floating around the room. Akane perked up.

"RANMA?" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Tatewaki snarled and lunged, getting his hand over her mouth. She promptly bit him, drawing blood. Tatewaki howled and danced away, clutching his hand. Akane spat several times, aiming for the white and cream cushions. She wiped her mouth as Tatewaki fumbled with the phone. Seeing his distraction, she lunged for the curtains, seeking the way out.

"Ranma's awake?" Tatewaki shouted, grabbing Akane's arm. She spun, curtains in her fists, and wrapped them around his head. He let go, sputtering into the phone as he untangled himself.

"Akane is awake and trying to flee! Why didn't your powder work this time?" He cried. Akane shook her head as she dashed around the room, hands running along the wall. There had to be an exit around here somewhere! A cell phone flew past her head and shattered against the wood. Akane whirled, mouth thinning at Tatewaki's enormous battle aura. He looked almost ready to kill.

"Akane, I will ask you this one more time. Will you date with me?"

"For the last time, Kuno, no I won't! I'm HAPPY with Ranma, can't you see that?"

"What has he done to you?!" Tatewaki howled, throwing up his hands. Akane blinked. Were those…tears? Was Tatewaki Kuno _crying_? "Please, tell me what I must do to save you, Akane. Saotome is the worst possible fiend, a demon in human clothing. What nature of spell, what bond does he have on you to make you so loyal, even when dosed with my dear sister's anti-love powder?"

"Um, the only powder Kodachi made that actually works is the sleeping one. Don't you remember what happened to your crew when she doused them with speed potion?" Akane pointed out, edging along the wall, still trying to find a knob or handle or latch or something that would let her out of this nightmare. She froze suddenly, eyes growing wide. Mallet-sama!

"Do not remind me of that accursed event!" Tatewaki snarled. Akane ignored him, focusing on her giant mallet. How did she get it last time? She had been frustrated, which was certainly true now, and then she had thrown up her hands. Akane threw up her hands, focusing on her anger and frustration and hints of fear. Mallet-sama appeared with a loud POP!

"Yatta!" Akane squealed. Tatewaki's jaw hit the carpet and he pointed at her dumbly.

"Wh..what?" He stammered. Akane advanced on him, Mallet-sama at the ready.

"This, Tatewaki Kuno, is what you get when you kidnap a Dragon's Mate."

**WHAM!**


	15. Black Dragon Rising

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

Is it just me, or is this story getting freakier?

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs)

--

The Black Dragon looked up from his victim at the sudden explosion of dust and brick, followed immediately by Tatewaki flying through said dust and brick to smash against the opposite wall. The male Kuno remained embedded in the new body-shaped hole, a large purple mark spreading across his chest. The Dragon glanced back at the new opening. His Mate was already on the bed, her Weapon in her hands and looking around.

"Ranma?" She called. The Dragon abandoned the sobbing Kodachi to leap at his Mate and wrap her in his arms. She made a funny squeak as he held her close, nuzzling her hair, her neck, growling softly in his throat as he examined her. Alive! Alive and unharmed and not Claimed by the idiot. The Dragon buried one clawed hand in his Mate's hair, pulled her head back and claimed her lips in a kiss that could only be described as possessive. The Weapon hit the bed and disappeared with a loud POP that startled his Mate. She pushed against him and he let her go just enough to breathe. She stared up at him, eyes wide with confusion.

"Ranma?" She whispered, reaching up to push back his upper lip, exposing his teeth. The Dragon smirked and snapped at her playfully. He frowned when she shoved herself out of his arms.

"Ranma! What the hell happened to you?" She shouted. The Dragon paused. Ranma. The Clan Guardian. The Dragon sniffed again. The Mate was safe. The danger was over.

Ranma blinked, stared at Akane for an eternal moment before looking down at his clawed fingers. He felt his teeth. Fangs. Looking around, he spotted a mirror above the bed. Ember red eyes glowed back at him.

"FUCK!" He snarled and jumped off the bed. Akane followed him, even when he waved her back. "Stay away…Akane. I…have to…"

"I knew it!" Tatewaki cried as he fell to the floor. He bounced to his feet, one hand pointing accusingly at Ranma. "See there, Akane, the true face of your fiancé! I knew he was a demon! Rebuke him, dearest Akane, so I, Tatewaki Kuno, may send him back to Hell."

"Oh for the love of Utsutsu! You're not a priest, Kuno, so shut up!" Akane screeched. Ranma whirled on Tatewaki, fangs bared and claws spread. Akane jumped between them, arms out, facing Ranma.

"That's enough, Ranma!"

"Akane…" He growled, hungry for retribution. Tatewaki had stolen his Mate with the intent to Claim. That could not go unpunished!

POP!

**BONK**!

Ranma wobbled and fell to his knees, blinking at pretty yellow stars. Once his vision cleared, he saw Akane standing over him, Mallet-sama on her shoulder. A large bump slowly grew out of his head and he winced. That HURT!

"I said, that's enough."

"Akane…"

**BONK**!

**CRASH**!

"I told you to shut up." Akane stomped away, revealing Tatewaki driven through his own floor up to his armpits. He glared at Ranma, his expression clearly saying that only fear of Akane and Mallet-sama was holding his tongue. Ranma growled at him for good measure and picked himself up. Looking around, he found Akane standing over the still sobbing Kodachi. The female Kuno was explaining in a soft, broken voice, Ranma couldn't hear what she was saying. Taking advantage of the relative quiet, he went through the mantra to cool his temper and rein in his power. The fangs and claws vanished, his eyes returned to their normal blue, only faint wisps of red betraying his emotions. Akane sighed heavily.

"I don't suppose this will teach you both to leave us alone?" She asked, sounding extremely aggravated. Kodachi nodded.

"I will no longer be part of my brother's schemes!" She declared. Tatewaki cocked his head.

"Saotome, I swear I will hunt you down and banish you to the Pits where you belong!" Ranma rolled his eyes. Akane brought Mallet-sama to bear on Kodachi, who whimpered.

"Show us the way out, Kodachi and you won't get a taste of Mallet-sama."

"Yes, of course! This way!" Kodachi scrambled to her feet and flung herself at the door, wresting it open. Akane grabbed Ranma's wrist and dragged him along, Mallet-sama perched on her shoulder. Ranma glanced at the Mate Weapon. It seemed to be giving off an eagerness for more action. He wondered if it was the weapon itself or if it was merely reflecting Akane's current mood. Either way, he was keeping his mouth shut.

--

"Talk." Akane commanded. She and Ranma were in his house, back in the furo and ironically enough, still fully dressed. Mallet-sama, now travel sized, tapped menacingly against her palm. Ranma was pale except for the fist sized lump on the top of his head, which throbbed an angry red. His mouth worked, clearly trying to figure out what he was going to say.

"Sorry about this."

BONK! Mallet-sama was quite effective even in its smaller form. Another angry red lump appeared.

"OW!" Ranma rubbed his head, glaring at her. His eyes were simmering, but not flaming. She was getting pretty good at reading those expressive, dreamy eyes. Akane blinked at the totally inappropriate thought for the current situation and scowled as she sent it flying away with a mental Mallet-sama smack.

"Apologizing is not going to save you, Ranma. How many more secrets do you have?"

"I don't know." He waved his arms as she brought Mallet-sama up for another blow. "I really don't know! I've only been a full Guardian for a couple of weeks, Akane! That's hardly enough time to figure out everything I can do now."

"Can do now. What could you do before? Besides making spell scrolls and summoning metal doors and oh yes! Let's not forget the whole melting iron thing." Ranma sighed and dropped to the floor. Akane frowned, but followed his example, Mallet-sama resting on her lap.

"Every Guardian clan has an animal totem. The animal varies on the culture and what the clan held sacred when the Accord was made. My family had already adopted the dragon, so that became ours. There's Chinese and European Dragon clans as well, just so you know."

"With the adoption of the totem came certain abilities linked with that animal, again, depending on culture and tradition. Every child born of a Guardian, whether they succeed their parent or not, is trained in magic. The abilities also vary widely; not only by culture, but by the natural talent the child possesses. Every Guardian child can make basic wards of protection and can tune the wards for specific threats or to let only specific people through, usually with passwords and ki recognition. Those with a strong aptitude are taught more complicated spells, like scrying or binding. Single children tend to have strong magical talent, so they learn everything, including the totem abilities."

"So, that's why you were able to melt those binders?" Akane asked, drumming her fingers on Mallet-sama's handle.

"I didn't melt them. I heated them until they were soft enough to manipulate." Ranma ducked his head. "You need to understand something, Akane. I…I couldn't _feel_ you. The bond wasn't working."

"Wha...?" Akane blinked at him, the implications of his statement adding to the whirlwind of information swirling in her mind and rendering her nearly speechless. Ranma looked up through his bangs and she gulped at the raw emotion blazing there.

"I couldn't tell if you were alive, dead or unconscious. I…I flipped out."

"You…flipped out." Akane croaked. Kodachi had been babbling, clearly frightened out of her wits, but she had said something about Ranma glowing all over and then, something _else_ was there in the room. Looking like Ranma, using his voice, but it wasn't Ranma. "What…exactly…happened?"

"I heard you call my name and the bond snapped back into place. Domme-girl got a call from the idiot. From the sound of it, you were fighting back and she berated him for not chaining you up in the first place. That made me mad, on top of the panic I was already feeling. I broke free and told Domme-girl she had one chance to tell me where you were or else." Ranma dropped his gaze, his hands clenched so tightly in his lap Akane could see the veins standing out in his arms. "She didn't tell me. She had been warned, very carefully, and she didn't tell me. I…I lost control. I didn't know where you were, I didn't know what that idiot had done to you, and I just snapped."

"Kodachi said you vanished, that there was this…this creature suddenly in the room using your body," Akane offered, dropping her voice. Whatever she had expected, this was not it! Ranma lose control? Because of HER?

"She's partially right. I became the Black Dragon. All Guardians, once they decide to take the full Oath, are…embraced by their totem. Their full ability comes rushing to the fore and they have access to all the powers the totem does. Normally, the will of the Guardian keeps it under careful control, using only what is needed for the situation. But, in extreme circumstances, that control can slip or shatter. Then the totem takes over completely."

"Like…like a possession?"

"Something like that. Don't misunderstand me, Akane. I was operating on pure instinct. I didn't _care _what happened to anyone else_._ All I cared about was finding you and making sure you were safe. Domme-girl got in the way."

"She…she thought you were going to kill her."

"Domme-girl would've survived. It was the idiot that was going to die if you hadn't jumped between us. Why did you do that, anyway?"

BONK!

"Ranma you idiot!" Akane screamed and hit him again. Ranma covered his head with his arms.

"What the fuck, Akane?" He yelled. Akane jumped to her feet, trembling. This was too much for her. She needed to talk to someone else, someone who knew how to handle an out of control Guardian Dragon. Biting her lip, she shook Mallet-sama in Ranma's surprised-yet-angry face.

"You…you…you stay here and soak your head." She whirled on her heel and stomped to the door, yanking it open.

"HEY! Where are you going?" Ranma grabbed her shoulder. She whacked his fingers with her mallet and he let go, cursing. She recognized some of her favorite phrases and almost smiled. Almost.

"I'm going to find Nodoka-san. She has a lot of explaining to do. Then, after I'm satisfied that you're not going to go flaming berserker, we're going to do whatever it takes to get this bond going both ways. Because let me tell you something, Ranma," She turned to face him, her own brown eyes blazing with yellow fire. Ranma gulped. "You weren't the only one freaked out of their mind back there. I refuse to be responsible for a Black Dragon laying waste to Nerima if there's _anything_ I can do to stop it."

"Akane," He started. She waved Mallet-sama and he shut up. Nodding, she shut the door and stomped downstairs.

"Nodoka-san!" She called. The Saotome matriarch poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Yes, Akane-chan?"

"We need to talk." She shook Mallet-sama in Nodoka's direction. Nodoka blinked.

"That serious? Well, come sit down. I'll make some tea." Nodoka returned to the kitchen. Akane flopped down at the table, propped her elbows on the wood and her chin in her fists and sighed as she sent Mallet-sama to…wherever it went when she wasn't using it. What had she done to deserve this? Nodoka reappeared with a tray of tea and Akane's favorite cookies. She set it down and sat across from Akane. Once they both had full cups, she looked at Akane.

"What happened?"

"Ranma went Black Dragon." Akane felt all of her anger and fear bubbling up again. She glared at Nodoka, eyes once again starting to simmer with yellow flame. Nodoka frowned.

"Why?" Akane recounted the events, as best as she could. Nodoka listened, her frown becoming fiercer.

"After Kodachi showed us to the gate, I made him roof-hop us here, since it's faster. So, Nodoka-san. Care to explain just what the fuck I'm getting into? I've been incredibly patient and understanding, really, considering the circumstances." Nodoka reached under the table and produced a mirror, holding it in front of Akane. The younger woman paled at the flaming yellow eyes looking back at her.

"Kodachi is a very dangerous threat and must be dealt with quickly. Lest the Pits find out about this sleeping powder and use it against you," Nodoka said. "As for what you're getting into, we'll have to consult another Guardian Mate. You're too powerful for me to teach."

"Who?" Akane finally choked out, entranced by her own eyes. The yellow slowly faded back to brown, like a candle burning out.

"I think I know just the person."


	16. Enter the Light

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Full Metal Panic and its characters are the property of Shoji Gatoh. Haku belongs to the great Miyazaki-sama. I know, I know, I just couldn't help myself. They _work_!

Author Edit: Since my lovely reviewer Angela Jewell pointed them out, I have fixed the incorrect names when refering to Kanami and not Kasumi. (sweatdrop) Also, a very brief summary of Full Metal Panic:

Kanami Chidori can control Black Technology cause she's a mutant. Sousoke Sagara, Mithril Sargeant extraordinaire, is her undercover bodyguard. Sousoke has been a solider since he was about 6 and has not had anyone his own age to interact with. So things go south. Often. Usually accompanied by gunfire, mechs, a large paper fan (halisen?) and/or explosions. There's kidnappings, escapes, lots of happy shiny mech action, high school trips and one of the most convoluted love affairs I've EVER seen.

I had Sousoke take Kanami's name when they married (after Hong Kong, you'll understand when you read this chapter), becaus Mates take the Guardian's family name to keep them "in clan". I hope this helps, Angela!

--

Time is a funny thing. It can speed by in a blink or drag along. Whether one views it as an endless-flowing stream everyone falls in and out of, or if one takes the "chop it into carefully measured pieces" outlook, one thing always remains the same. Time marches on.

Given the chaos that had surrounded the Tendo household, and Akane Tendo in particular, it was a rather nasty shock to look at the calendar and realize that her exams started in two days, with graduation scheduled the following week. So, really, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Akane's wall calendar went flying out the window on the heels of an ear-shattering shriek to land forlornly in the koi pond and slowly sink to oblivion. At least it died while entertaining the koi.

Akane, meanwhile, was flying around her bedroom freaking out while getting ready for school at the same time. Two days was NOT enough time to catch up on her homework, thanks to that four day Pit excursion, hereafter referred to as "The Ubo Incident", decide on which three colleges she could actually afford to go to, study for the entrance exams AND the final exams and try to survive graduation without any more Pit or Kuno induced insanity. Presuming, of course, that she actually managed to _pass_ third year.

A mental reminder that she was currently engaged and once school was over everyone was going to be nagging her about setting a date was bludgeoned to a pulp with a mental Mallet-sama. The Mate Weapon was proving very handy. Pity she couldn't use it on her sisters.

"Akane, don't forget to come straight home today," Kasumi said after Akane had skidded into the table and had a mouth full of food. "We need to get your kimono fitted."

"Kmomo?" Akane muttered. Kasumi waved her ringed hand.

"You've grown in the last few years, I don't know if we have anything that will fit you. Considering how busy we'll be this summer, it's best to take care of it now." Akane choked and had to be pounded on the back by an entirely too cheerful Nabiki.

"Busy?" She asked suspiciously. Nabiki leaned on her back and waved two fancy invitations in her face.

"Engagement parties for both you and Kasumi. Gin-san and Nodoka-san insisted on handling everything so you blushing brides can focus on the weddings." Akane's face shuttered and her elbow slammed into Nabiki's diaphragm, sending the middle Tendo flying into the wall, where she promptly slid down in a heap. As it was her own home and her sister, Akane had pulled her blow enough to not damage either one.

"AKANE!" Kasumi cried, jumping to her feet. Akane slowly raised her head, battle aura pulsing and eyes flaming yellow. Kasumi's hands flew to her mouth as Akane slowly stood up.

"Now you both listen and listen good. I am NOT getting married this summer. Kasumi is. I have two days before my exams and I'm three days behind in my homework and the way I see it, I'm going to be damned lucky to pass. I'm not doing anything but schoolwork until graduation. See you tonight." She stomped out of the house. Nabiki picked herself up and strolled over to the table.

"When are our special guests coming?" She asked. Kasumi sighed and sat back down.

"Tomorrow afternoon. I do hope Akane doesn't hurt them."

"From what Nodoka-san was saying, the Chidoris are made of very stern stuff."

"Well, they would have to be, to be Light Guardians, wouldn't they?"

"I wonder what they're like." Nabiki mused, finishing Akane's breakfast.

--

Being a Light Guardian is not much different then being a Dark Guardian. Instead of demons and monsters and vampires, there are angels and Fey folk and spirits. That doesn't mean the Light-dwellers are any easier to deal with, or that people don't disappear into the Light never to return. Much like the Dark, the Light must be watched carefully and handled delicately, as the denizens tend to be incredibly intelligent and steeped in their own traditions. In fact, you could say that Guarding a Light area is more difficult, because while Dark-dwellers can be intimidated into cooperating by a show of force, Light-dwellers must be persuaded by logic.

It was a source of constant amazement to Sousoke Chidori that Kanami was a Light Guardian. She was short-tempered, argumentative and had a strong tendency to violence, all traits frowned upon by the Beings she watched. Yet, somehow, despite that, she kept the balance in Tokyo. Or perhaps it was because of that. He wasn't sure. What he was sure of was that while she Guarded the world, he would Guard her with his life. Given his background and training, it should have been a fairly easy job. Then again, this is Kanami Chidori being discussed, so nothing, including married life, is actually _easy_.

"Thanks for the ride, Haku!" Kanami called, waving cheerfully as the white dragon flew away. Sousoke looked around carefully, one hand on his travel-sized Mate Weapon, the other ready to grab Kanami if need be. Kanami looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh, for Azrial's sake, Sousoke! Nothing is going to jump out of the bushes. Can't you see the wards?" She gestured to the shimmering distortion in the air. Sousoke looked it over critically.

"Subtle, powerful, anchored by scrolls, tuned to Pit ki, so naturally it did nothing about humans with evil intent. Rather careless of Saotome-san. Why hasn't he upgraded his Mate's defenses?"

"It _did_ only happen day before yesterday." Kanami pointed out, grabbing Sousoke's wrist and dragging him through the gate and up to the front door.

"More then enough time, then." Sousoke continued sweeping the area with all his senses.

"Sousoke, do me a favor."

"Of course, beloved. What do you need me to do?"

WHAP! A large paper fan smacked Sousoke across the back of his head. As he was well used to this kind of treatment from his Mate, he did not go flying through the door into the Tendo house, merely rocked forward on his toes.

"Please remember that Akane and Ranma are still in high school. They're younger then us, less experienced and in the death grip of exams. You DO remember our last year exams, right?"

"Affirmative. You spent three nights in a row studying feverishly, drank nothing but iced coffee, ate nothing but melon bread, and used the halisen on me approximately four hundred and ninety-two times."

"Whereas YOU spent two hours studying every night and then went to bed, refusing to help me cram and earning all four hundred and ninety-two of those halisen strikes by being smug and idiotic at the same time. Don't be surprised if Akane and Ranma respond similarly. It's not a threat to you, me or the world. It's just typical senior stress. Got that?"

"Affirmative."

"Good." Kanami put her halisen away and began running her hands over Sousoke's arms, torso and legs in a brisk manner. Sousoke sighed.

"You frisked me before we left, Kanni-chan."

"Cute nicknames are not going to stop me, Otaku. Ah HAH!" Reaching under his left sock, she pulled out a small pistol. Sousoke blushed and started to sweat as she carefully felt up his left leg, finding the spare ammunition clip. It didn't take her long to find the long, thin aura grenades he had adapted from standard flash grenades (taped to his right thigh) and another ammunition clip (tucked into his boxers). Kanami shook her head.

"Honestly, Sousoke. Your Mate Weapon is the only one you'll ever need. How many times do I have to tell you this?"

"A soldier must be prepared for any situation."

"You're NOT a soldier anymore! You retired when I Chose you! Remember? There was a ceremony?" Kanami yelled, waving the gun in his face. Sousoke flinched.

"I may not wear the uniform, but I will always be a soldier, Kanni-chan. I have explained this many times."

"ARGH!"

"Oh, hello! You must be the Chidoris." A very sweet voice interrupted the all-too-familiar argument. Kanami and Sousoke turned to the door, seeing a pretty woman with brown hair smiling at them. She wore a very sparkly engagement ring. The couple jumped to attention, Kanami hiding the confiscated weapons behind her back.

"Ah, yes! Yes, we're the Chidoris. I'm Kanami and this is…"

"Sousoke Chidori, Mate to the Guardian Kanami who bears the Okami totem." Sousoke interrupted crisply. His right hand raised and dropped in an aborted salute and he bowed instead. Kanami flushed and copied him.

"How lovely to finally meet you. I'm Kasumi Tendo, Akane's oldest sister," Kasumi bowed and ushered them into the house. "We're so excited about having you here. I hope your trip was pleasant. I would have sent Nabiki to meet you at the station, but Nodoka-san said it wouldn't be necessary." Kasumi gave the bemused couple a puzzled smile as she took them into the dining room and served them tea and a large variety of snacks. "Do Guardians travel differently?"

"Uh, sometimes," Kanami said, burying her face in her cup.

"Rest assured, Tendo-san, that we only request the assistance of the spirits when the situation demands the utmost speed," Sousoke said. He scanned the house while sipping his tea. Kanami elbowed him.

"Thank you, Tendo-san, for letting us stay here."

"Oh, please, call me Kasumi. We're all going to be family very soon, no need to stand on formality. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll try to pry Akane and Ranma from their books." Kasumi beamed at them and skipped away. Kanami and Sousoke exchanged glances.

"She seems…very friendly," Kanami said. Sousoke folded his arms.

"This house has too many entry points. We will need to replace these walls, reduce the entry to front and back door only. Those bushes out front should be removed, they provide too much cover. I will have to speak to Saotome-san about…"

WHAP! The halisen bent against his face. Sousoke turned his head to glare at his Mate as she removed the offending paper.

"That hurts, you know."

"The Tendos have been orphans for the last two years, Sousoke!" Kanami hissed. "I sincerely doubt they've been able to afford more then the basics. The taxes alone on this place are probably…MPHF!" Sousoke clapped a hand over her mouth, staring intently at the entranceway.

"Fortunately, Dad's life insurance policy covered honorable death by seppuku, so taxes aren't an issue," Nabiki said, strolling into the room. The Chidoris watched as she took off her uniform jacket, hung it up and plopped down at the table, helping herself. She nodded. "Nabiki Tendo. You must be the Chidoris. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Kanami said after she had peeled Sousoke's fingers off her mouth. "My name's Kanami."

"Sousoke, Mate to the Guardian Kanami and bearer of the Okami totem." Again the aborted salute. Nabiki snickered while Kanami sweatdropped.

"Oh yeah, you two are going to get along great with the Dragon pair. Just remember. Any damages done to our property comes out of your pockets. See ya at dinner." Her tone of voice insinuated she knew exactly how deep those pockets could go. Nabiki took a plate of goodies and nodded as she left the room. The Chidoris were left blinking after her. A shriek of rage rent the air, followed by deep blue cursing and Kasumi hurrying down the stairs, hands tucked deeply into her apron.

"Akane and Ranma will be down shortly," She called as she rushed into the kitchen. Kanami and Sousoke stared at each other.

"We were NOT fully briefed on the Tendo family," Sousoke said. Kanami nodded.


	17. The Danger of Losing Control

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Full Metal Panic and its characters are the property of Shoji Gatoh.

Ok, THIS is the chapter that explains Hong Kong. (grin)

--

Dinner that night was awkward. Akane had to be dragged kicking and screaming out of her room by an equally determined and vocal Ranma. Their behavior brought a knowing smile to Kanami's face and surprised blinking to Sousoke's eyes. Apparently the former Mithril agent did not believe there could be another woman like his Kanni-chan until confronted by an Akane hell-bent on studying at the expense of her general health and well being. Ranma had to invoke the Ubo Incident to make her cooperate.

"If it does not violate any security protocols, may I ask what the Ubo Incident was?" Sousoke asked once Akane had been calmed down enough to eat. He was answered with a rice-spit-take all over his chest. Kanami bowed her head to hide her twitching lips. Kasumi promptly bustled over with a damp towel to tidy him up. Nabiki and Ranma simply grinned.

"Security protocols? What the hell are you talking about?" Akane asked, wiping her mouth.

"He means, if you're allowed to talk about it. Sousoke used to be in the military, he still hasn't gotten used to civilian life." Kanami explained.

"You strike me as the type never to get used to it, Sousoke," Ranma said, patting Akane's back. She glared at him, triggering another lip twitch in Kanami. Really, it was like watching themselves back in high school.

"Affirmative," Sousoke said, snatching the towel from Kasumi before she touched him. Kanami would never forgive him if another woman brushed off his chest. He cleaned his shirt and handed the neatly folded towel back to Kasumi, who rushed into the kitchen. "Ranma, with your permission, I would like to discuss security procedures with you. I've been looking around and I see several areas that must be addressed. And you have not answered my question regarding the Ubo Incident. Is it classified?"

"Yes. Highly classified!" Akane blurted out and continued eating. Ranma looked at her, then at Sousoke and shrugged.

"How long will you be staying, Sousoke?" He asked.

"For as long as necessary." He nodded at Kasumi as she rejoined everyone. Kasumi smiled brightly.

"Until the wedding, then?" Nabiki chimed in. Sousoke blinked at her.

"Possibly. It depends."

"On what, exactly?" Akane asked. Kanami laid a warning hand on Sousoke's thigh, using her nails to remind him to keep his mouth shut.

"Nodoka-san asked us to come teach you, Akane. Sousoke is also a powerful Mate, surprisingly so, given his background," Kanami explained. Akane's eyes narrowed.

"So you're the one she was talking about. Tell me, Sousoke, has Kanami ever gone Wolfy on you?"

"I do not understand the question." Sousoke answered, trying not to flinch at the nails digging deeper into his leg. Kanami had developed a slight twitch, clearly insulted by Akane's question.

"Berserker. Has Kanami ever lost control and let Okami take over her body, thus rendering her incredibly dangerous to everyone around her except you, and what exactly were the circumstances that triggered the event?" Akane said, slowly and clearly. Kanami flinched and ducked her head. Kasumi and Nabiki exchanged glances and both of them bolted to the kitchen, shutting the door behind them. Ranma braced himself for violence.

"Affirmative. It was in Hong Kong. I had been captured by a terrorist group bent on global destruction. It was a human group, completely unaffiliated with Light or Dark. Kanami was contacted by my former superior to help retrieve me. Instead of putting herself under their jurisdiction, as she was supposed to, she went alone to Hong Kong."

"The bombings five years ago?" Ranma asked, staring at the nervous couple. "That was you?"

"The terrorists had rigged one building to blow up. Everything else was because of me," Kanami said softly, eyes filling with tears. "They…they wouldn't _listen_. I warned them I had to have Sousoke back, that if they didn't cooperate I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. I knew he had been tortured, I could feel it," Her voice broke and she covered her face with her hands. Akane's mouth fell open and her face matched Ranma's in pallor. Sousoke pulled Kanami into his arms, stroking her back.

"The terrorists were old foes of mine. They didn't believe one teenaged girl could do anything, not without military support. Kanami proved them wrong. I was being held in a basement cell. I heard the explosions and thought it was the military. I could hardly believe my eyes when Kanami ripped the door off of my cell, howling my name," Sousoke continued the story while calming Kanami. Akane reached out blindly and grabbed Ranma's hand. He held on tightly.

"How…how did you calm her down?" Akane whispered. Sousoke flushed beet red.

"I…um…that is…" He stammered. Kanami chuckled softly in his chest and turned her head.

"Light Guardians have healing abilities. I licked his wounds until they were gone and then I pounced him."

"Oh." Akane matched Sousoke in redness. "Um, I guess…that's one way..." She trailed off, looking at Ranma. He rubbed their joined hands against his cheek.

"If the idiot had touched you in any way, I would have done the same. After I killed him," Ranma said softly. Sousoke and Kanami nodded in agreement as Akane stayed pale.

"You…but Ranma, you _cant'_!"

"Negative, Akane. A Guardian will do whatever it takes to retrieve their Mate, and if the Mate has been injured, in any way, those that dared to touch them will be punished. You were fortunate."

"It's like…like your very soul is being violated," Kanami explained, sitting up. Sousoke kept his arms around her and she leaned against his side, head on his shoulder. "I could feel everything those bastards did to him. Every cut, every punch, I was being battered. There's only so much torture a person can take before they break. When they wouldn't cooperate, I broke and Okami came out. I knew exactly what was going on and I didn't give a damn. I wanted Sousoke back alive. That's it. I…I don't know how else to describe it."

"From what we've been able to determine, Akane and I woke up at the same time," Ranma said, taking over the conversation. Akane was trembling. "What I don't understand is why I didn't feel her immediately."

"We're going to need a sample of the compound used to send to Research. Will the suspect cooperate?" Sousoke asked. Ranma glanced at Akane, who grinned.

"She will or else."

"Very good. Tomorrow, then."

"NO!" Akane shouted. Everyone else jumped. "Not tomorrow! We have exams tomorrow!"

"We could do it after…" Sousoke offered. Akane cut him off with a growl, her eyes blazing yellow. He gulped.

"Not. Until. Exams. Are. Over." She bit out through gritted teeth. Sousoke looked to Kanami for help. The Light Guardian thought it over and nodded.

"We'll help keep an eye on the Pits, just in case They've heard about this. Taking advantage of a Mate Bond would count as a violation of The Accord, wouldn't it, Sousoke?"

"I believe it could be seen as direct interference, yes."

"Ok, then!" Kanami sat up and clapped her hands. "Once your exams are over, you and Sousoke will start training while Ranma and I get the sample and start working on it. So don't worry about a thing, Akane. The Chidoris are here to help!"

"Is it safe now?" Nabiki asked from behind the kitchen door.

--

Anyone who's gone through senior year exams knows how incredibly stressful they are. It's worse in Japan, because while there are a large variety of colleges one can choose from, all of them have entrance exams that must be passed on top of the final exams for high school. Naturally, the most popular colleges have the hardest exams, witness Tokyo University. People have been known to commit suicide when they don't get in.

The Tendos, having been abruptly orphaned, were granted some leniency. Kasumi had graduated high school with good marks and was going to college for an administrative degree. Since she had to step up as the head of the household, her professors accepted her dropping out of college and an old family friend gave her the receptionist position in their printing business. Her sweet demeanor and intense attention to detail increased the print shop customer base, which made everyone happy.

Nabiki, being the scheming little monkey that she is, also graduated with good marks the spring after Soun's death and strong-armed a local bank manager for her teller position so she could skip college entirely. After all, college isn't required, it's simply strongly encouraged. As she is excellent with money, it was a wise move and Nabiki enjoyed the position of top teller with a good chance for promotion.

Akane, however, had been bound and determined to be the one to get a college degree. Given the sacrifices her sisters had made for their family, it was only right and proper she repay those sacrifices with the best possible marks and acceptance into a good college that would launch a career in government or hospital administration. She had her eye on a few colleges, but she hadn't narrowed her choices down to the requisite three.

Then Ranma saved her life.

Now she was sweating the exams, not sure she was going to pass, let alone make the top ten percent as she had every year prior, AND wondering how in the Pits she was going to keep Ranma safe from himself, AND trying to replace Beaker, AND helping out with Kasumi's wedding, which was becoming a remarkably grand affair for an orphaned receptionist marrying a local chiropractor and acupressure expert, AND fend off all the eagerness that was enveloping her engagement, AND fend off Kuno, who still didn't GET IT, AND dealing with a military otaku who was bound and determined to not only turn her lovely home into a fortress, but also that she know everything about every weapon ever created by man or Mate, AND, well, let's just say it's a minor miracle her head didn't explode in a flaming, gooey mess in the middle of the English exam. Because not only would that have been incredibly messy and traumatizing to her fellow students, but Ranma likely would have burned the school down with everyone in it, thus traumatizing the entire city.

As all quiet times must come to an end, so too do the hair pulling, teeth grinding, all-night-cramming times.

Akane stumbled out of school after her last exam; eyes red and puffy, face pale and drawn, basically looking like Death warmed over. As over half of the students making their way out of the Sixth Ring of Hell laughingly called high school with her shared similar looks, it went unnoticed by everyone except her future Mate, who was sporting only slightly bloodshot eyes and about a dozen bumps on his head of various sizes. Mallet-sama had been busy.

"Welcome to the End. Congratulations! You survived," He joked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him.

"Yatta," Akane muttered and collapsed in a dead faint.

She woke to darkness, her own bed and a very sharp pang of hunger. This wasn't surprising, she had been subsisting on milk tea and curry bread. Despite Ranma's best efforts, all she had eaten at dinner the last four nights had been a bowl of rice and pickles, of which at least one mouthful went on Sousoke after a truly inane or mind-boggling comment. Really, the guy had a gift. She didn't know how Kanami put up with him. But none of these musings in the dark was solving her immediate problem, namely, she was _starving_. Kasumi should have some leftovers somewhere in the fridge. Ignoring the glowing green clock informing her it was 1:45 in the morning, what the hell was she doing up, Akane threw back the covers and slid out of bed. She promptly tripped over a very large, firm and warm something and crashed to the floor.

Rather, she would have if the very large, firm and warm something hadn't rolled over and caught her, chuckling as only Ranma could as he pressed her to his chest.

"Going somewhere, Kijuuki-oshii?" He asked in a husky voice that triggered entirely too many delicious shivers, which eagerly joined the delicious shivers running along her skin where they were touching.

"Uh…" Akane blinked in the gloom, trying to see. Twin points of blue fire flared about six inches from her nose and she was fairly certain the firmness and warmth were increasing elsewhere.

"Meep!" She pushed against his chest, trying to break free. Ranma chuckled again and rolled so she was beneath him. "Ranma!"

"Yes?" He settled himself neatly between her legs, triggering a flaming blush. What Akane didn't realize was her eyes also started glowing.

"What are you _doing_?" She hissed. Ranma dipped his head, nuzzling her cheek and working towards her ear.

"Holding my future Mate," He murmured in her ear. "And seriously thinking about kissing her."

"Uh…" Akane started to melt. Ranma noticed and took unfair advantage of her weakened state to kiss her almost as possessively as the Black Dragon had. She did feel the difference, slight though it was. She whimpered into his mouth, arms curling around his neck. They were thoroughly enjoying themselves when a strange rumble broke through the haze. Ranma pulled back, blinking in confusion. The rumble sounded again and Akane hid her face in his chest.

"Akane?" He asked.

"M'_hungry_," She grumbled. Ranma laughed and got up, hauling her to her feet.

"Come on, Kijuuki-oshii. Let's get you properly fed."


	18. Senior Stress

Hello all

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Full Metal Panic and its characters are the property of Shoji Gatoh.

--

"Graduation in five days," Akane grumbled, stabbing her spoon into her ice cream. Ranma blinked at her. They were in the kitchen, sitting together on the floor with various wrappers and empty containers scattered about. Kasumi had been briefed by Kanami on what could be expected and had stocked the fridge and pantry accordingly with instant foods. For once, Akane's appetite had out-done Ranma's.

"You're that worried?" He asked, popping the last green tea mochi into his mouth. Akane licked her cream-covered spoon.

"Hell yes! I promised my sisters I would be the one to go to college and get a really good job. Nabiki didn't care about school. She saw it as an information network to be exploited and wasn't interested in college. Kasumi was and I know it broke her heart to have to drop out after Dad died. So, it was all up to me to make the family proud and gain back some face. Now…" She trailed off and shoved the spoon into her mouth. Ranma swallowed.

"Now you're engaged to a Dark Guardian, your life has been turned upside down and inside out and you're worried you won't get into the college you wanted," He finished, ducking his head. Akane kicked him gently in the foot.

"I hadn't even picked a college," She corrected, taking another large bite of ice cream. Ranma sighed.

"I'm sorry about this."

"S'no or fult," Akane mumbled around her mouthful. She gulped. "Least, not all of it. You're not responsible for Kuno's idiocy."

"But a lot of it is my fault." Akane tapped her spoon against her teeth, staring thoughtfully at the messy floor.

"No, actually, I don't think that's true either. Utustsu started the Pits Encounter, you only finished it. Mu Tsu didn't get his men proper protection, so the Ubo Incident is both his and my fault, as I'm the one who got you in trouble with him. So you could say you've been the crux of everything, not the one at fault."

"Are you trying to make me feel better about your perceived lousy chances at college and a relatively normal life?" Ranma asked suspiciously.

"Yep! Is it working?"

"Not a bit."

"Good, because it's not working for me either." Akane slumped back against the cabinetry. "I'm fucked."

"Not until after we're married, or you say you love me," Ranma said, smirking. Akane threw her spoon at him, still covered in chocolate peanut butter swirl. Ranma leaned out of the way and the ice cream splattered all over the floor behind him.

"Pervert."

"Only for your hot body, Akane."

"SHUT UP!" Akane shrieked, face flaming red, and she chucked the ice cream carton at him. He caught the ice cream and put it safely on the counter before grabbing the empty mochi tray and pitching it at her. She retaliated with a ramen container that still had a quarter inch of broth in it. The cold liquid splashed over Ranma, who growled and countered with a nearly empty bowl of miso. Akane yelped as seaweed stuck to her hair. The air was soon filled with Styrofoam and plastic containers, various liquids, noodles and bits of food splattering as a counterpoint to taunts and occasional giggles.

"What the…" Kanami mumbled sleepily, entering the kitchen.

"DOWN!" Sousoke was right behind her, knocking her to the floor with his gun in one hand. His other arm wrapped around her head as he looked up. Ranma and Akane paused in their non-recyclable items fight, both dripping with dregs, and stared at the couple on the floor and the gun pointed at the space between them. Kanami's fingers twitched and her halisen appeared which she used to whap Sousoke's legs.

"Let me up, you insane military otaku!" She cried, slapping him in time with her words. Sousoke looked at Ranma, then Akane, and rolled off of her, coming up in a crouch to sweep the kitchen. Kanami picked herself up, scrubbing her face with her free hand.

"What is going on?" She grumbled, glaring at Akane and Ranma through her fingers. They looked at each other and dropped their respective food containers. Sousoke finished his sweep and tucked his gun into his boxers.

"Clear," He announced. Akane suddenly realized Kanami was sporting a button down shirt that barely covered enough to be decent, not to mention Sousoke was only wearing boxers, squeaked and dropped to the floor, hiding her face in her knees. Ranma found the trashed floor incredibly interesting.

"foofiht", Akane mumbled through her uniform skirt.

"What?"

"Food fight. Sort of," Ranma translated and sighed. "Sorry about this."

"Is this another manifestation of senior stress?" Sousoke asked, straight-faced. Akane, Ranma and Kanami exchanged incredulous looks before they all burst out laughing.

--

As previously stated, there are a large variety of colleges in Japan. These range from the biggest and most popular, Tokyo U, to a number of local vocational colleges that teach specific skills, like auto maintenance and culinary arts. As such, there are colleges that will take anyone, at any level, and turn them into responsible, useful, upright and moral citizens.

In other words, Akane had stressed herself and everyone around her for no real reason. In what she considered a minor miracle, she had managed to pick three colleges in and around Nerima and take all the necessary entrance exams in addition to finishing the high school exams and turning in her homework. Ranma had been a major factor in this, as he wasn't planning on going to college in favor of reviving the Tendo Dojo of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Thus, he had had the time to help her, which Akane greatly appreciated, multiple head injuries notwithstanding.

Of course, Akane did not realize this until the Saturday before graduation, when she dragged Ranma in a mad dash to school to see if she passed and if so, where she had been accepted. Kanami and Sousoke tagged along, easily keeping up as they had quite a lot of running at high speed experience.

Akane made it to the gates and stopped, panting heavily and staring at the announcement board in the middle of the courtyard with extreme nervousness. Kanami and Ranma shared knowing grins while Sousoke swept the area for threats.

"What's the matter, Akane?" Kanami asked once Sousoke declared it was safe to enter the grounds. Akane wouldn't budge.

"I…I don't think I can," She said, clutching Ranma's wrist in both hands. Ranma winced at the amount of pressure she was exerting.

"Sure you can. You're my future Mate, you can handle anything," He said. Akane looked at him skeptically.

"This from the guy who yelled at me for defending myself?"

"You are not going to let me live that down, are you?" Ranma asked, prying her hands off his wrist. She shook her head, a faint grin on her lips that vanished when she looked back at the board. There were a number of students clustered around, some hanging their heads, others dancing around, and a few looked like they were settling bets. It's Furikan, no one should be surprised.

"Do you want us to go with you?" Kanami offered. Akane shook her head, nodded, shook her head again and finally threw up her hands. Everyone skipped back a pace.

"I don't know!" Akane wailed. When Mallet-sama didn't appear, Sousoke stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

"Come," He said briskly and marched to the board, dragging Akane behind him. Ranma and Kanami exchanged long-suffering looks at Akane's swearing and followed behind. Sousoke ignored the verbal abuse. When they reached the knot of students, he pulled out his gun and fired it into the air.

"ATTENTION! Akane Tendo needs to see her exam results. Please clear the way!" He barked. Students scattered in all directions. Kanami groaned and slapped her palm over her face, letting the fingers slowly drag down her skin.

"He never learns," She grumbled. Ranma snickered.

"He can be effective," He offered. Kanami rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"You wouldn't believe how much compensation he had to pay our high school for all the explosions, injuries and psychological stress in our two years together. The school had to be rebuilt twice, our head janitor went insane and I can't tell you how many times he got strung up the flagpole or a tree by a rampaging mob of students."

"And yet you Chose him."

"And yet I Chose him," Kanami agreed, a fond smile appearing as Sousoke showed Akane her scores. "Love is a funny thing, isn't it?"

"That, fellow Guardian, is the understatement of the century."

"YATTA!" Akane shrieked, jumping up and down. She gave Sousoke an exuberant hug, triggering a case of nervous sweating and dashed over to Kanami and Ranma.

"I passed! I passed! And I got into the same school Kasumi was in!" She cried, jumping into Ranma's arms. He spun her around while Sousoke slinked over, looking much like a puppy expecting to be beaten. Kanami simply grinned and kissed him.

"I can tell the difference, you know," She said, poking him gently in the side. Sousoke sighed and wiped his forehead with his shirt sleeve.

"We must speak with Nodoka-san about the necessity of complete briefings."


	19. The Graduation

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer Jane Drew puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Full Metal Panic and its characters are the property of Shoji Gatoh.

Yay! Graduation! Now the _really_ fun stuff can happen!

--

Graduation dawned bright and sunny. Kasumi was up first to make pancakes. Sousoke and Ranma waved as they ran to the dojo to spar. Kasumi waved the wooden spoon as they passed, smiling cheerfully. She was so glad the Chidoris were here. Akane seemed much calmer. Kanami stumbled in next, yawning as she waggled her fingers at Kasumi and heading right for the kettle. Kasumi had invested in instant coffee once she learned Kanami preferred it to tea. The Light Guardian did seem almost non-functional without it. Witness how she came downstairs; in her nightshirt with a pair of Sousoke's boxers thrown on for modesty. Kasumi wondered if she would do something similar once she and Ono were married. The thought of wearing his clothes made her blush and she turned back to the pancakes, mixing vigorously. The Tendo women are rather modest bunch, after all.

Nabiki and Akane trooped downstairs just as Sousoke and Ranma came in from their sparring session. Everyone waved.

"Ready for graduation, Akane?" Kanami, now coffee-nated, asked as Sousoke plopped down next to her. Ranma headed upstairs to change.

"Boy, am I! This summer is going to be insane, what with the wedding and getting ready for college and…"

"When will you be Mating with Ranma?" Sousoke asked. Nabiki performed the requisite spit take, sending tea all over Kanami, who sighed and stole Sousoke's shirt to dry off. This triggered another blush in Kasumi, who _still_ wasn't used to seeing bare male chests; despite the fact she had two young men camping out in the house and was getting married in just over a month. Nabiki surreptitiously enjoyed the view, not wanting to be smacked with the halisen.

"I completely respect Akane's wish to go to college and not have the wedding until after she graduates," Ranma answered, plopping down next to Akane. She grinned at him. Sousoke and Kanami shared knowing looks before Sousoke left, taking his damp shirt with him.

"Sousoke didn't ask when you would be married. He asked when you will be Mated," She pointed out.

"There's a difference?" Kasumi asked innocently. Kanami snickered. Ranma blushed bright red. Akane's fingers twitched and Mallet-sama appeared.

"Ranma," She growled. "You said after we were married."

"I intend to wait!" He protested, covering his head with his arms. Kasumi blinked in confusion while Nabiki snickered.

"Oh, don't wait on our account, Ranma," The middle Tendo said, waving her toast. Akane promptly shook the Mate Weapon at her sister.

"If I find one single camera, Nabiki, so help me, I'll feed you to Frisky!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh wouldn't I?"

"Now, now, girls, no need for such threats!" Kanami stepped in, waving her hands. Kasumi sat blushing and speechless, having figured out what Kanami was actually talking about. "Hey, Akane? What time are you supposed to be at school?"

"FUCK!" Akane put Mallet-sama away, grabbed Ranma's wrist and took off, dragging him with her. Kanami blinked, sighed and sat back down.

"Is she…always like this?"

"Only since Ranma showed up. Akane's had the hots for him since he moved here, but she won't admit to anything. He's going to have to kiss it out of her," Nabiki explained, stealing Akane's pancakes. "So, Kanami, when did YOU Mate?"

"Hong Kong," Kanami replied, grinning knowingly at Sousoke, who had just arrived. His ears promptly turned red. "The actual ceremony happened a few months later. Don't be surprised if the same thing happens here. Teenage hormones and all that." She winked at her husband.

"Oh my! I must…go…get ready…" Kasumi jumped to her feet and rushed upstairs. Sousoke sat down and helped himself to what was left.

"What did I miss?" He asked.

"How long do you think it'll be before Ranma and Akane Mate?" Nabiki asked, eyes gleaming. Sousoke thought as he ate a bite of pancakes.

"I expect they will be Mated in approximately two weeks."

"Care to make a wager?"

"I do not bet."

"How about you, Kanami? I say they won't Mate until after Kasumi marries the Doc."

"Five thousand yen says they Mate before the wedding," Kanami challenged, her own eyes matching Nabiki's gleam. Sousoke groaned.

"You're on!" The two women slapped hands.

"How will you determine if Mating has occurred?" Sousoke asked. Kanami and Nabiki looked thoughtful.

"Check the sheets?" Nabiki offered. Kanami shook her head.

"No good if they go someplace else, like the dojo or the Saotome house or a hotel."

"Will there be a difference you guys could sense? Something in the aura?" Kanami snapped her fingers.

"I'll smell them!"

"Beloved, that is not…" Sousoke started

"What do you mean? You're going to sniff Akane's panties?" Nabiki asked, cutting Sousoke off. Kanami blushed and gave Nabiki a gentle slap with the halisen.

"No! Pervert. Okami has an incredible sense of smell, I can tap into that and see if they've Mated that way. It's a surefire method!"

"Sousoke?" The ex-soldier sighed and nodded.

"I can confirm the effectiveness of the Okami olfactory technique."

"Wolf Nose is on the case!" Kanami cried, waving the halisen in the air. Nabiki cackled, rubbing her hands. Sousoke made a mental note to warn the unsuspecting parties.

--

Graduation ceremonies in Japan are rather dull affairs. They're held in the middle of the week, so only those parents and relatives who do not work can attend. The music tends to be classical and rather dreamy, depending on the school, except for when the school song is sung. Every graduate is named by their homeroom teacher, and then the various dignitaries (or just the principal if a small school) give speeches. After diplomas are passed out, certain students will also give speeches, after which everyone is dismissed. It is standard practice to have at least half the audience, including students, sleep off and on throughout the ceremony.

This particular Furikan High School graduation had some notable differences. For one, Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome had their entire families attend, along with the Tofus and the Chidoris. While Gin did sleep the entire time, Ono held Kasumi's hand and dabbed his eyes like a proud papa when Akane received her diploma. Genma cheered loudly when Ranma received his and had to be forcibly restrained by Sousoke, who took the large man down with a basic subduing move. Nodoka supplied the duct tape to keep Genma in his chair and his mouth shut. Ranma sighed and asked to borrow the microphone.

"Sorry about that, everyone. Pops was raised by pandas," He explained, causing a round of smothered laughs.

The second notable difference was Takewaki Kuno's speech. He did not wear the school uniform, appearing instead in a blue and white kimono with thunderbolts along the sleeves and back. Some of the teachers glanced at the principal, Takewaki's father, who simply beamed and nodded as his son took the podium. As Mr. Kuno was well known for his lurid floral shirts and general surfer attitude, the teachers supposed they should be grateful Takewaki was dressed traditionally and went back to their naps.

They were rudely awakened when Takewaki thumped the podium.

"Father, our honored teachers, my fellow third year students and their families, and the rest of you students still too young and inexperienced to share the joy that is graduation, I come before you today not as kendo captain, not as class representative, but as a fellow citizen. We, the third years, have survived this monumentous time and now are ready to step forth as able adults. But, alas, my comrades, the world we join today is not one of cream and spun sugar and late night karaoke. In fact, it is a world of darkness, of fear and evil, a world where your very soul can be stolen from you! " Takewaki leaned in, grabbing the podium in both hands.

"Many of you have heard of The Pits. Well, I am here today to swear to you that not only are The Pits real, but there is one among us who rules them. Yes, even though he adopts a meek exterior, in his black heart, he is not human. But, my comrades, my fellow adults, I regret to say it is much worse then that. Not only is this devil, this demon of the underworld walking around free, free to corrupt innocent women with his vile lust, but he is in this very room." The last words were growled into the microphone. Students shifted, giving each other an equal mix of bemused and nervous looks. Mr. Kuno blinked and shifted forward in his seat. Along the wall, Sousoke bent to fix his sock. He came up with his gun in his hand. Kanami promptly clamped onto his thigh, digging her nails in deep.

"Kanami," He whispered, wincing with the pain.

"Not yet," She whispered back.

"You heard me, Furikan High! A demon is among you! And while he may think he has been clever, that he has escaped with this ceremony we are currently engaged in, I, Takewaki Kuno, swear to him and to all of you, that I will not rest until he is destroyed. Nay, though I have to travel the length and breadth of this world, though I may walk in the shadows that fill our alleyways, though I dare any challenge, any obstacle to obtain whatever weapon is needed, I do solemnly swear this oath." Takewaki raised his bokken and pointed it at the crowd.

"Ranma Saotome! I declare vendetta! I will not stop until you are dead or banished to the abyss and the lovely Akane Tendo is free of your vile clutches!"

**BANG!**

**BONK!**

Takewaki blinked, stupefied, as he was hit by a rubber bullet and a flying Mallet-sama. Everyone gasped as he slowly collapsed behind the podium. Teachers rushed over, Hinako-sensei already on her cell phone calling the paramedics. Mr. Kuno leaped to the podium.

"Uh, congratulations again, all our graduates. Class dismissed!"

--

"He's never going to stop, is he?" Nodoka asked once the families were clear of the school. She nodded to Ranma and Sousoke, who dropped the still duct-taped-to-the-chair Genma. Sousoke removed the tape and Genma launched himself at Ranma.

"You pathetic excuse for a Guardian!" Genma yelled as he kicked Ranma dead in the stomach. Ranma flew backward, rolled in mid-air, used the wall he was careening into as a springboard and pushed off back to his Pops, fists ready. Genma met him halfway, the two throwing punches so fast they blurred. Nodoka and Akane smacked their palms into their foreheads while the Tendos sweatdropped and the Tofus and Chidoris cocked their heads in confusion.

"You're one to talk!" Ranma yelled as the fight continued.

"I never let my enemies blab my secrets to an entire student body!"

"No, you just used to steal women's underwear and let six girls get raped by Sanji!"

"They weren't worthy to be my Mate!"

**POW!**

Ranma's fists slammed into Genma's jaw, just under the chin. The large man soared into the air and crashed to the asphalt two meters away. Ranma was shaking, his eyes red.

"That's no excuse, Pops," He hissed. Genma pulled himself out of the large hole he had created and bull-rushed Ranma, sending them both flying down the street. The fight then shifted to the fences, Ranma yelling about what a horrible man Genma was and how he didn't deserve Nodoka. Genma retorted by calling Ranma a tricycle loving pansy who couldn't be trusted with a wife OR family secrets. The families were left staring at the pair as the fight slowly worked back towards them. It was obvious the two were evenly matched and any blows landing were because one of them lost focus.

"You're just lucky you have a Mate willing to save your sorry ass, Ranma!" Genma yelled as he tried to trip his son. Akane's forehead started ticking.

"Mallet-sama," She whispered.

POP!

"Down!" Sousoke yelled, knocking Kanami to the pavement. The Tendos and Nodoka hit the dirt, dragging Gin and Ono with them. Akane pointed at the furiously fighting Saotomes.

"Hit Genma," She said firmly. Mallet-sama obligingly flew over, hovered over Genma's head for a few seconds and came down.

**BONK!**

"Hah! Serves you right, Pops! Never insult me in front of my Mate." Ranma crowed as Genma's crotch met the wooden fence with extreme force. The elder Saotome turned six different shades of purple and toppled sideways, huddled over in the fetal position, teeth clenched in a sweating effort not to scream.

"And Ranma."

**WHAM!**

Ranma went sailing into the air from a chest blow from Mallet-sama, flying about three blocks before crashing down.

"Clear," Akane said, flicking her fingers. Mallet-sama disappeared with a smug POP! Heads slowly lifted. The Chidoris and Tendos wore matching expressions of astonishment. The Tofus were simply shocked. Nodoka bounced to her feet, applauding wildly.

"Wonderful, Akane! You are an excellent addition to the Saotome clan. I can't wait for you and Ranma to be married!"

"Fuck," Akane whispered, slapping her hand over her eyes.


	20. Author's Notice

To all my lovely readers;

To all my lovely readers;

Due to my own stupidity, I have lost my internet access. As such, Speed Onis is being put on hold until we move into our new house. Right now the tentative date is September 24. This is, as with all major moves involving mortgages, subject to change.

I will be back, I promise. Thank you for sticking with me so far and I hope to see you all again when I get my access back.

(bows)


	21. The New Ride

Yes, she actually updates! The wonder of it all! My Muse has finally returned, complete with a Cat Returns plot bunny that's trying to EAT MY BRAINS. Thank you all for sticking with me. Let's get this back to where it started, shall we?

--

Hello all! It's time for something completely different. This is an AU, which means, as my all time favorite Kenshin fanfic writer puts it, "that OOC will occasionally jump around flailing its arms". In this AU, there is no gender/animal-bending curse. If you're looking for the water curses, look somewhere else. This does not mean there won't be freaky stuff and the occasional perversion. (Insert maniacal laughter here) Also, everyone's a little older and wiser, for the most part. Oh yes, and there's some swearing too, so it's rated T.

--

Ranma ½ and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't even own a Nabiki plushie. (sobs) Full Metal Panic and its characters are the property of Shoji Gatoh.

--

Dinner that night was a grand affair hosted by the Saotomes, minus Genma, who had been sent to his room with a can of bamboo shoots. The older man had grumbled until faced with two Guardian Mates with crackling battle auras and mini-Mate weapons. He took the hint.

Akane huffed as she put Mallet-sama away. Her ears were still ringing from the blistering lecture from Sousoke about the Proper Use of Mate Weapons in Public and her sensibilities were highly offended at being given homework; a comprehensive guide to covert operations. Sousoke had informed her in no uncertain terms a quiz would be coming on the first two chapters sometime before sunset the next day. Really, how DID Kaname put up with him?

"What IS that, Sousoke?" Ranma asked, eying the long, thin gun Sousoke was checking.

"A miniature version of the Starstreak missile shoulder launch system."

"I thought you preferred guns…" Nabiki said, puzzled. Sousoke nodded and put the rocket launcher away.

"I have adapted my M1911 pistol for Guardian use, as well as my M72 rpg launcher and my RPK-74 rifle. Those fire incendiary and depleted uranium shells. I'm currently working on molten metal rounds, but when I first summoned the Mate Weapon, the Starstreak is what appeared."

"Mate Weapons have evolved as we have," Nodoka explained at Akane's flummoxed expression. "The Saotome Mate weapon used to be an axe, until one of them married a devout Buddhist who refused to draw blood. She ended up with the mallet."

"The Chidoris used a nodachi until Sousoke. A sword just doesn't suit him," Kaname added. Kasumi and Nodoka glanced at each other and took over the conversation, swapping embarrassing stories about the graduates that left both blushing while everyone else howled with laughter. Finally achieving a festive mood, Nodoka rapped the table with her knuckles.

"Ranma, Akane, believe it or not, we are all very proud of you. In consideration of certain recent events, we have all, as two families that will soon be joining forces by marriage, provided presents for you." Nabiki and Kasumi bounced up from their places and ran into another room. They came out bearing red-wrapped packages. Nabiki handed hers to Akane, Kasumi gave hers to Ranma. The graduates glanced at each other and tore open the presents.

"Cool!" Ranma said, holding up the red leather riding jacket. Embroidered on the back was a black dragon outlined in gold. The tail and one loop were curled protectively around a sitting white crane, also outlined in gold. Akane frowned, noticing the crane was sitting on some kind of nest.

"Come on, Akane, show us!" Kanami said, leaning forward. Akane slowly lifted the yellow motorcycle jacket. Hers also sported a black dragon and white crane. The dragon was coiled around the crane's legs, whose outspread wings and cocked head suggested it was protecting the dragon.

"I…thank you," Akane whispered, ears glowing red. The women around the table beamed. Ono cleared his throat.

"Um, Ranma, you will find a present from us men in your pocket. Akane, our present to you is outside."

"Outside?" She asked, looking up in confusion. Ranma checked the jacket pocket, finding a red envelope. He pulled it out, opened it, and promptly shoved it back into the pocket.

"Why don't you go with her, Ranma?" Kanami suggested.

"Um, yeah. Sure. Let's go, Akane." Ranma helped Akane up and dragged her outside, both clutching their new jackets. Nodoka smirked at Kanami.

"Very clever, my dear," She said, standing to fetch a tray of glasses and a warming bottle of sake. Kanami grinned.

"The very least I could do," Kanami replied as Nodoka came back with the drinks. "After all, given her usual reactions to surprises," An ear-splitting shriek rattled the windows and caused a hairline crack along the edge of Ono's right lens. "Ranma is the best equipped to handle them." Kanami finished as cursing floated in from the side yard.

----

Akane wondered if she should laugh or cry, having already exhausted her usual reactions of screaming and cursing. Sitting proudly in the side yard was a yellow GSRX 1000, a new helmet swinging from one of the handlebars and a custom paint job gleaming in the fading light. Her knees made her decision for her, giving out and she slumped to the ground. She reached a trembling hand to the glittering gold dragon painted on the side. Behind her, Ranma wondered how soon he could convince Akane to use the gift he had in his pocket. Love hotels are a wonderful invention, but right now, there were more important things to do.

"Do…you like her?" He asked softly. Akane surged to her feet and flung herself into his arms.

"Yes! She's beautiful and I love her and I'll wear your totem with pride and this is the best present ever!" She sobbed into his shoulder. Ranma let his breath out on a slow sigh and flashed a victory sign behind his back. Faint cheering came from the adults inside watching and Ranma smirked as Kanami loudly called for sake. He stroked his Mate's hair and gently lifted her chin.

"Shall we take her for her first spin?"

"You just try to keep up, Dragon-boy!"

----

Kodachi drummed her fingernails against her Honda's speedometer as she watched Tatewaki pace up and down the quiet intersection, trying to cajole his crew into joining his insane quest. The Thunders, while as loyal as her Roses to the laws of the street, were looking very skeptical. And who could blame them? Tatewaki seemed to have finally lost it; Kodachi suspected the Hammer Bitch's hammer was to blame. It had taken hours to dig Tatewaki out of the floor. As soon as he was free, he dashed off to the library, mumbling about exorcism spells and divine weapons, then insisted she, Kodachi, round up her Roses AND call out the Lost Boys for a Very Important Meeting. Now all three crews were giving HER suspicious looks! This was becoming intolerable.

"Men! I ask you, have I ever steered you wrong? Have I ever not stood behind you, encouraged you, and taught you how to hone your skills? Is it so much I, your fearless leader, ask?"

"You're asking the impossible, Kuno," Hibiki responded, leaning against his Kawazaki Ninja. "Did getting thumped during graduation knock what little sense you had out? Ranma's not a demon. Damn good fighter, yes, but he's still human." Kodachi snorted. All eyes turned to her.

"For once, my _dear_ brother is not exaggerating. There is more to Ranma then fighting or riding. There is SOMETHING inside him, something…powerful." No way she was going to admit the Dragon had scared her spitless.

"What, you're saying he's possessed?" A Lost Boy asked.

"Fool!" Tatewaki snarled. "He's not possessed! He IS a demon. He has chained both Kijuuki and Akane to his evil side." Eyes rolled, followed by perked ears as new engines were heard. Everyone turned to see two motorcycles coming up the main drag. The red one drove right into the crowd, which happily scattered out of his way and parked next to Tatewaki. The yellow one deftly dodged the fleeing teenagers to pull up perpendicular to Kodachi.

"Good evening, Black Rose," Akane purred, turning off the engine of the new Suzuki. Kodachi gritted her teeth.

"Kijuuki,"

"Like my new ride? I call her Flame," Akane moved her left leg, propping her boot against the handlebar crosspiece. Kodachi's face mottled at the dragon sneering up at her. Her outraged shriek broke the glaring contest between Tatewaki and Ranma.

"You, you BITCH! How DARE you flaunt Ryu's symbol so? Have you no shame?" Akane snickered and twisted to show off her new jacket. Kodachi's reaction reached supersonic levels. Two Roses and a Lost Boy passed out. Kodachi violently kick-started her Honda and pointed.

"You're now mobile, you deceitful whore. I challenge you to a quarter mile. Winner gets Ranma."

"You're as dense as your brother, Rosie," Akane scoffed, firing up Flame. "I don't race for other people, that's rude." She dropped her leg and leaned towards Kodachi. "When I win, you will swear before everyone that you will not come up with ANY scheme to break Ranma and I up. Don't think I missed that little phraseology of yours."

"And when I win, you will renounce your claim on the Dragon God," Kodachi hissed. Akane shook her head.

"If you win, I will let Ranma choose who he wants to be with. You might be surprised."

"FINE." The feuding women slapped hands and turned towards the group.

"You all heard the terms!" Akane called. "Who wants to spot?"

"I'll start," Hibiki volunteered, pushing away from his bike. "I'm a neutral party here." Akane glanced at Kodachi, who nodded. The crowd scattered again as the competitors cruised slowly to the crosswalk. A Black Rose climbed on her Suzuki and drove to the center of the intersection.

"Kijuuki, my name is Aiko. I have no dog in this fight, will you accept me to call the finish?"

"I don't mind. Kodachi?" The female Kuno tossed her head.

"Aiko is trustworthy. I accept." Aiko nodded, neatly spun her cycle and rode to the finish line, two streetlights away. She parked her bike facing the crowd and waved. Two Lost Boys joined her on either side of the street to confirm the win. Hibiki moved to stand between the racers.

"All right, ladies. Clean race only. On my mark," He pointed at Akane, she revved Flame and nodded. Hibiki pointed at Kodachi, who did the same. Raising both arms, he glanced at each racer and dropped his arms. Akane and Kodachi shot off the line, their engines screaming. Various crew members drove onto the sidewalks to cheer them on, staying far enough back to leave a clear view. The Suzuki & the Honda were fairly evenly matched, only the driver's skill would determine the win. At the end of the quarter mile, Aiko spread her arms wide, her palms facing the racers. Akane and Kodachi each let go with one hand to slap Aiko's palm as they passed. The pair roared past the finisher, knocking her flat on her ass as they slapped her arms back. Akane braked faster, squealing Flame's tires as she skidded sideways. Getting herself pointing in the right direction, she rode back to Aiko, who was still on the ground. Kodachi turned back when Akane and all the crews arrived.

"Back, back!" Xian Pu ordered, keeping the crowd from overwhelming Aiko. The Black Rose groaned as she moved her arms. "Are you hurt, Aiko-chan? Anything broken?"

"That was a damn-fool thing to do," Ranma chimed in, nodding to Akane as she joined the group. Aiko shook her head.

"Easiest way to tell," She said, letting Xian Pu manipulate her arms. The Chinese ex-pat sighed and declared her bruised, but not broken.

"So, who won?" A dozen voices asked. Kodachi arrived as Aiko waved to Akane.

"Kijuuki, by a breath. It was very close," Aiko said. Hibiki glanced at his crew members, who nodded.

"It was damn close, but Kijuuki won."

"Agreed. Kijuuki won." Ranma whooped and swept Akane off her bike, swinging her around. Twin rumbles erupted from the Kunos' throats. Those who could skipped back, giving the Kunos a wide berth. Xian Pu helped Aiko to safety. Kodachi blew first.

"AIKO YOU UNEDUCATED GREASE MONKEY!!! How DARE you rule against your leader?"

"Being leader does not allow you to claim a false victory, Kodachi," Aiko said firmly. Everyone nodded.

"YOU UNHOLY POX UPON THIS EARTH!! UNHAND THE KIJUUKI BEFORE I BREAK YOUR FINGERS!!" Takewaki bellowed. Ranma and Akane sighed.

"Give it up, Kuno," Ranma said wearily.

"NEVER! I will NEVER give up! I will save Akane and Kijuuki from your fiendish clutches if it's the last thing I do."

"At the rate you're going, Kuno, you'll be dead first," Akane said, yanking off her helmet. Gasps echoed up and down the street. Kijuuki was really Akane? The Dragon and the Crane were engaged? _Happily_ engaged? Takewaki was so overwhelmed he toppled over backwards with no one to catch him.


End file.
